I try to look away, but I can’t help but notice the wet spots left over half of Znat’s face. The sound of Znat’s moans, mixed with his slurping, becomes unbearable, and I feel a sense of revulsion at the sight of their intimate display.

As if reading my thoughts, the Glaseroid looks at me with a smirk on his face, an unspoken promise to do the same to mein the near future. My senses are overwhelmed by the disgusting scene before me.

The Glaseroid finally speaks up, “Pretties, welcome Slop. She’ll be joining us soon.”

The three women turn towards me, responding in unison, “Welcome Slop.” Jinx tilts her head curiously, but Gums and Znat look at me with a burning hatred and jealousy engraved in their eyes.

Znat moves to touch the Glaseroid but accidentally knocks over an object on his desk. In an instant, he erupts into a rage, screaming, “You stupid whore!” He quickly presses something on his golden bracelet, and Znat collapses to the ground, writhing in agony, pain etched on her features as she clutches the golden collar around her neck.

“Please, Great Master! Znat is sorry! Please!” she screams in agony. The Glaseroid breathes deeply, regaining control, turning off the cruel collar.

I stand in absolute horror, barely able to grasp that this is my future. The weight of this realization crashes down upon me, and I am paralyzed with fear.If there is any goodness in the universe, Krogoth will be alive, and I swear with everything I hold dear that I will never take him for granted again.

The sound of Znat’s sobs echoes painfully in my ears.

Chapter 20

Krogoth

Chase

Igently close theeyelids of my dear old friend. My mind races, trying to make sense of the events that led me here. I must find and save Pebbles. Nothing else matters. I long to have her in my arms again, her sweet scent filling my nostrils once more.

“Xandor, scan for any suspicious ships that left the station recently,” I plead desperately.

Xandor rushes to the command console, his fingers moving frantically across the holographic display. “Chieftain,” he says with despair in his voice. “It’s no use. There are hundreds of ship signatures coming and going from this accursed station.”

“There must be a way!” I shout, feeling more and more desperate by the moment.

“We’d have to follow every signature and hope we get lucky. Even then, the trail will be cold by the time we find the right one,”Xandor explains with a heavy heart.

Suddenly, Felixus bursts into the room without his battlesuit. He halts at the sight of so many broken and maimed bodies strung around the room.

“By the void, I’ve never seen the likes of this before. Ship’s a graveyard, bodies piled waist-deep, three corridors long,” he says, looking aghast at the grisly scene. “I’ve installed the Elerium and can confirm the hull is repaired. Very sloppy work, I w-”

“Someone called Tensin Naxsus took someone very dear to me. Please, is there anything you can do to trace his ship?” I plead, my heart racing.

“I’ll have a look, lad.” Felixus rushes to the command console, his fingers moving across the holographic display with lightning speed. “Sorry. But without knowing his ship’s exact signature, it’ll be like finding a working hyper-drive in a junkyard.”

“I will not give up until I find her. Even if it takes me five hundred years, I swear I’ll track Tensin Naxsus down!” I roar, baring my razor-sharp fangs. The air in the room vibrates with my rage.

Felixus is taken aback by my outburst, his eyes widening in shock. He looks at me for a moment, rubbing his chin as if unsure whether to speak. “I’ve heard of this Tensin Naxsus,” he finally says. “He’s a Glaseroid weapons dealer, incredibly wealthy.” He pauses, his expression growing darker. “I hear strange things about his ‘Pleasure Barge.’ They say he collects exotic women.”

A ‘Pleasure Barge’! If they have defiled my female, I will not rest until I hunt every one of the disgusting filth. I will break them, then leave their putrid bodies to rot in the deserts of Nardune!

“Yaksai must have contacted him. That explains where the Psykes got the arc pistols from,” Xandor muses, his voice tinged with frustration.

“Maybe we can set up a fake arms deal to lure him—” I suggest, but Felixus cuts me off.

“Wait, lad!” Felixus exclaims, his eyes lighting up. “I’m picking up strange readings. Weapons’ discharge twenty lightyears away.” He gestures to the galaxy map displayed on the console.

“Set course at full speed now!” I order, daring to hope that Pebbles has somehow signaled me. It seems too good to be true, but I remember fondly how she once escaped my bedroom with the clever use of my armor. If anyone can escape Tensin Naxsus, it is she.

As I stare out the view port, the hyper lightspeed travel creates a stunning array of colorful lights streaming past us. I will Tensin Naxsus’ ship to appear in the distance, hoping that we are getting closer. Suddenly, Xandor’s urgent voice breaks my concentration.

“Chieftain, look at this,” he says, waving me over to the holographic display.

I turn around and see the holographic display showing security footage of the attack on the ship by the Psykes Glaseroids. It’s a chaotic scene, filled with violence and bloodshed. But it’s the end of the footage that catches my eye, when the warrior in the golden armor appears and takes down Carndor with ease.