Sweet Venom – Rebroken

Moltezz and a slender feline Node moved together through the upper decks of the freighter. Although standing at seven feet tall, the Node had to half-jog to keep up with the Controller, who spared no thought to her current companion’s ability to keep up with her long and confident stride, through the freighter’s numerous industrial hallways. The alluring sway of Moltezz's hips kept dragging the Node's eyes away from the paper pad of notes in her hand, and she gulped quietly as a mixture of feelings made just this one simple task rather difficult.

“Preparations for our assault are nearing completion. We've arranged the Slaves as requested but we're still waiting on Leech's … uh... reinforcements.” The Node said, scratching absent-mindedly at the bandages around her midsection and doing her best not to look at Moltezz's imposing figure.

Moltezz strutted along with her head held high, a long crimson cape flowing behind her. Two of her Slave's carried the ends a few paces behind her, to ensure it didn't drag along the floor.

“Has your wound healed yet, Node?” Moltezz asked calmly, her eyes wandering around the ship's industrial interior.

“I think so… Why do you ask?” The Node shifted about nervously.

“It has not eluded me that you were the Node with Seeth in that dreadful woman's apartment; the one who shot you?”

“Y-yes, my queen...”

Moltezz broke her stride and stopped to face the Node. The light seemed to drain from the corridor as the Node stared into Moltezz's piercing, fiery eyes. At that moment, it was as if she and her queen were the only two people on the freighter… No, the only people in existence. She felt a deep warmth on her skin where Moltezz's glaze landed.

“Let your truth out, Node. How do you feel about what happened?” 

The feline pondered for a second, wondering how best to answer, and then sighed dramatically. She straightened her back and stood tall as she replied.

“I blame myself for Seeth's dissertation.” Her eyes remained firmly locked onto Moltezz's. “If I had subdued the nomad and corrupted her, Seeth wouldn't have had her crisis of confidence.” Her lower lip wobbled a little as she spoke, but she held firm.

“Hmmm. Very bold of you to admit. I like that.” Moltezz looked down at the Node's bandages; there was still a little blood seeping through them. “Perhaps things aren't quite that simple, darling, but I can understand your thought process. Do you wish to be in the spearhead? I can sense your need for some revenge on that nomad girl.”

“I would like that... deeply, my queen.”

“Then consider that your primary objective.” Moltezz nodded, drawing a deep breath in. “Once we're aboard the station, take some Slaves and track her down. Make her pay for how she wronged you. Break her. I want you to savour the experience as her body twists and reforms around your seed. Hopefully she'll make a good Node, and I'll keep her under your command.” Moltezz leaned down and gently unwrapped the bandages from around the girl’s stomach, revealing a bloody crater planted neatly on her muscular abs. Her breath was exceptionally warm against the Node's skin, making her vibrate under the intensity. “Remarkably well healed for just a few days, but this will slow you down.” Moltezz tutted.

Her hand began to glow bright orange and she looked at the Node briefly. The grey feline nodded and closed her eyes, her muscles tensing as she felt a searing heat approach her. The Controller's palm met with the Node's skin with a loud hiss, then she quickly retracted her arm, scrutinising the seal closely. The wound's once deep crimson hue was now a dull brown; crisp and clean.

“There. Only a minor thing but I want you fully prepared. Do this for me, and I'll see to it that you become one of my primary go-to Node's. Wouldn’t you like that?” Moltezz straightened up, her gaze returning to the Node's eyes, in all its intensity and warmth.

Yes! Very much so, my queen.” She nodded enthusiastically.

“Good. Let us continue, Let’s check in on Leech and ensure she's prepared.”

The two moved on down the corridor, towards the gentle sound of drilling and dripping from a few doors down.

“McFUCK! VENTER! GET ME GAUZE, NOW!”

Moltezz and the Node paused for a second, glancing at one another in a concerned fashion as the commotion intensified, but then they continued together and peered around the door into Leech's makeshift lab.

In the middle of the gritty lab, Leech stood over a Slave, a surgical multi-tool in her one hand, a power drill tucked under the same arm, and her other hand firmly clamped around the Slave's shoulder, squeezing it tightly as blood seeped between her fingers.

The Slave had numerous prongs on metal sticking out of it and multiple long wounds, stapled shut across its raggedy, naked form.

Venter came hobbling across the lab floor, his hands full of clean dressings for wounds.

“How... are... things...? Leech?” Moltezz stared in a mixture of awe and confusion, half frowning.

“GO -” As she went to speak, her grip on the Slave loosened and something snapped. The Slave dropped to the floor like a rag-doll, completely limp and dead. “MOTHERFUCK!”

Without missing a beat, Leech grabbed the dead Slave with her hand and threw it across the room, its body cartwheeling through the air and disappearing through another open doorway, landing with a muffled thump.

“It’s fucking USELESS! The medical equipment on this freighter is BOLLOCKS! Their scalpels are DULL!” Leech threw her hands up in the air dramatically, shooting a middle finger towards the door she threw the Slave through. She was currently dressed in a badly blood stained apron that barely covered her torso.

“Are... you ready for the assault?”

“Hell no! No modified Slaves are avaliable for combat yet! I wasn't joking! This shit needs precision! The blades these people have been using are like, 0.85 millimetres thick and made from badly tempered steel, I might as well be making incisions with a fucking hammer!” Venter stifled a laugh as Leech continued her rant. “Their drug stores were mostly depleted, likely by fucking drug addicted guards who were raiding the place so they could finally get enough blood in their cocks for a good jack-off in the showers, the fucking - I had to take a staple gun from engineering because the one in medical was  LIMP JACKASS SHIT!” She pointed at a mangled staple gun that was embedded in the wall across the room.

“I was supposed to be done hours ago! I had some private time scheduled with Ink! I WAS SCHEDULED TO CUM BUT INSTEAD I GOT CUCKED BY A STAPLE GUN! MY BALLS ARE HEAVY, MOLTEZZ!” Venter tried to stifle another laugh, but this time he didn’t go unheard. The massive green alien's head snapped towards him. The wolf’s laugh cut out abruptly, but it was too late.

“YOU!”

“Leech, I -”

“I AM TOO FUCKED OFF AND TOO HORNY TO CONTINUE WITH THIS!” She lurched towards him, slapping her hand around his throat with a loud GLURK from the male and lifting him off his feet. “WE GON' DO SOME WEIRD SHIT UNTIL I FEEL BETTER!”

She stomped out of the room with the wolf in her hand, disappearing through another doorway, her stomping slowly fading away to leave the slightly creaking lab in peace.

“I wonder what’s through there?” The Node asked, peeking her head slightly further into the lab, towards the doorway the Slave had ended up.

“Ugh, if you value your sanity or your lunch, I suggest you go no further.” Moltezz spun abruptly, turning away from the lab's dripping interior. “Anyway... What’s next? Shall we make our way to the new Controllers?”

“Y-yes! Down the corridor on the left.”

The pair continued as they were, leaving the lab's entrance and swiftly putting Leech's craziness behind them. They arrived together at a large pair of open double doors which revealed a repurposed meeting room, for the old executive class of the freighter. It was nicely decorated and spacious, with a massive oval table in the centre and a long plasma glass window that looked out into space. At the back of the room, Ink was standing next to a large heap of discarded paper and looking through some stacked up boxes. She was pulling out handfuls of paper work and taking in the details, before throwing them onto the ever growing pile behind her.

She was dressed in a make-shift combat outfit, with heavy flak plates strapped crudely to her body along with some tight slacks. Despite her makeshift look, her spotlight glare was intimidating as it always was.

“Is everything okay, Ink? I understand you'll be joining us for the initial assault and then leaving once the station is secured?”

“Yes. That is true.” She continued to look through the paper. She was seemingly uninterested in Moltezz and the Node, and was more concerned with ensuring her goo-dripping tentacles didn’t stain the yet-to-be-examined documents.

“Do... you... require help, Ink? What are you doing? We can get some Slaves to search through that with you?”

“No. I will do this personally. I’m looking for details about my old boss.”

Moltezz's initial frown eased into a growing grin as Ink continued to stare at the documents with an intense level of scrutiny, processing each page into her corrupted cortex.

“Oh, now this I like. Someone mistreated you, Ink?” Moltezz threaded her fingers through one-another, her eyes widening with interest.

“Yes.” Ink responded blankly.

“... That's it? That was an invitation to divulge your desire for revenge.” Moltezz's frown returned sharper this time. The Node beside her rocked back and forth on her heels, nervously.

“And I decline. I will savour his defeat, not you, or anyone else.”

“Really now? This is how you choose to be?”

“I know your type. People like you would always talk about me - old me. They would always want to know the drama, the story, the gossip. And I would feed them from time to time, just for the contact and reaction. But they were never there when I needed them, and so, I regret it deeply. Leech gave me a chance to be something new - I will not be that same person.” Ink’s tentacles curled and flicked behind her, as if they were flexing around someone's neck.

“How very stoic of you.” Moltezz scoffed, rolling her ruby eyes. “Well, if you do require any assistance though, Ink, I am open to you. Despite your strangely defensive attitude, there is space for you at my table.”

“Noted.” Ink's huge fangs slipped out from behind her lips as she forced a grin at Moltezz, with as much enthusiasm as she could muster, before continuing to search through the boxes with an increased vigour.

“We're landing in thirty minutes, if you're joining us. Enjoy your revenge, Ink.”

Moltezz and the Node turned and left the dripping behemoth to her own devices, opting to head to the next stop on the list. As they approached the next metal door, Moltezz shook her head, sighing loudly.

“Despite her attitude, I do like Ink. Seeing what Leech made of her, I was actively salivating at the thought of corrupting the other three czarites on the ship...” She sighed again. “I must say, these three weren't quite what I was expecting. I corrupted them fresh, expecting some psyonic powerhouses, and what I received were... these lot...”

The door retracted and revealed a med-bay. It had been ransacked for all its goods, all the cabinets pulled open and raided for their contents some time ago, but a few medi-beds were still standing, positioned neatly at precise intervals. In the centre of the room stood three naked corrupted czarites of slightly varying heights and wildly different figures. They were currently reaching for some fresh clothes which had been provided for them.

The one in the middle of the trio stood defiantly, her crimson body muscular and defined, with an impressive chest and a sharp, curling ashen carapace on her head and shoulders. She had some additional carapace on her hips and thighs, like sharp talons, almost as if a great clawed beast were grabbing her from behind. Long and wild jelly dreadlocks sprouted from her head, starting with a peach tint but fading into a raspberry hue. Some of them were reigned with a metal band. Her peach-coloured sharp eyes stared at Moltezz as she stepped forward, between the Controller and her two friends.

Behind her, to her left, the czarite's was a deep violet, her skin soft and shiny. Her figure was much curvier than the first, with thunderously heavy hips, a chubby belly and perky but smaller breasts, compared to any other corrupted czarite so far, but still plenty large by any reasonable person’s standards. Her carapace was gentle and decorate, covering patches of her thighs and draping over her shoulders and wrists like finely crafted jewellery placed purposefully on her skin. Her bright, polished jade eyes were also staring at Moltezz, a hint of confusion furrowing her brow. Her dreadlocks were long and deep blue, flowing down to her gigantic butt and curving slightly over to top of her cheeks.

The final girl was a bright candy pink, with a thicker charcoal carapace than the last, curling over her body akin to ornate wood carvings. Her figure was heavy, with a bit of a belly on her and some powerful thick thighs and hips, but they were somewhat dwarfed by her prior’s. Her chest, however, was absolutely massive, packing a pair of perfectly soft and squishy boobs that made Moltezz do a subtle double take at their sheer size and presence. Her bright bubblegum eyes were glancing around the room idly; a quiet hum escaped her lips as she bobbed up and down slightly. A brief licking of her lips revealed a silver stud pierced through her tongue. Her dreadlocks started out a milky pink at her scalp, but faded into a deep purple at their tips which stopped at her shoulders, and bounced playfully along with her.

“Well, you're certainly all attractive... We may yet have some use for you.” Moltezz tried to smile but couldn’t hide her disappointment, even as she surveyed the groups varying but beautiful sexual assets.

“What the hell is your problem?!” The red one stepped forward, but was immediately held back by both her friends. “I'm not gonna be talked at like that! We don't owe you anything!”

“Hmm. Quite the spicy attitude there.” Moltezz shook her head dismissively, which only further angered the red one. “Introduce yourselves.”

“Name’s Cherry.” The red one spat, still glaring at Moltezz.

“Plum.” The bottom heavy, purple one said sweetly, her voice caressing Moltezz's senses.

“- And Bubblegum!” The pink one sung, showing some jazz hands.

“Okay… I think I can work with this.” A sly grin grew across Moltezz's face, ideas forming in her mind.

Cherry went to speak but felt Plum's soft hand on her shoulder, and cut her response off.

“What can we do for you, Moltezz?” Plum asked.

“That’s what I like to hear. Serve me and you'll do well. I'll admit, I was anticipating some psyonic strength, following your corruption. But I can still see plenty of potential, despite your lack of psyonics and... tentacles… I want to forge you three into capable lieutenants for our rapidly expanding crusade.” Moltezz’s fist erupted into a bright, dancing flame as she spoke and she held it out in front of her. “We are spreading our gift to the local nomads, searching for a place to call our headquarters and most importantly, recovering some lost personnel of interest. Another Controller, and my prince.”

“And what do we call ourselves...? Our group?” Plum asked quietly, shuffling closer to Cherry and running her soft fingers down Cherry's chiselled back.

“The Rewritten.” Moltezz affirmed. “I've thought about the name for quite some time now, and I believe it’s quite fitting for us.”

She clasped her fist and extinguished the flame. The room rapidly darkened, leaving just her searing eyes the only vocal point the three could focus on.

“I want you to focus on bringing my prince back to me. Make him your primary directive. Succeed, and I'll think about introducing you to him. Once he's earned his place at my side, that is. Other rewards will be provided to you, but I can guarantee that he is the most valuable.”

“Special guy, is he?” Cherry quizzed, raising an eyebrow.

“He may very well be the key to the Rewritten's success, believe it or not.”

“I sense there's a bit more than that going on.”

“Oh, there absolutely is. But we're landing soon and I don't want to start gushing over him.” The room's lights surged back to their original brightness, and Moltezz turned to leave. “Can't a queen just have her crush?” She muttered.

“We'll get right on that!” Bubblegum nodded enthusiastically and blew a large, blue bubble from her mouth. A soft, wet bang rang out as it popped over her lips, and Cherry elbowed her sharply in the ribs.

Moltezz and the Node continued down the corridor, leaving the trio alone in the med-bay. The three of them turned to one another and huddled close once Moltezz was out of earshot.

“What are you thinking, Bubble?” Cherry flexed her neck and rolled her shoulders, her muscular form lethal and ready for action.

“I think we should go along with it for now... Let's see what this mysterious guy is about first. Moltezz might be stuck firmly up her own butt, but it seems like she's pulling the shots around here. We should get more info before doing anything rash.”

“Plum?”

“I agree. If Moltezz wants him, we should get him. We can make better decisions from there.”

Both Plum and Bubblegum stopped and looked at Cherry, worried. They both placed soft hands on her shoulders to comfort her as Cherry's face twisted in anger.

“I don't like being told “You'll do.” If Moltezz wants this fucking guy, then I want him more. I don't care how we do it, make him or break him. She wants to be some stupid, theatrical queen? Fine. But royalty rarely survives a revolution.”

*

The sound of tearing rubber and fabric filled the space as Seeth’s blood-stained hands clawed at her suit, desperate to remove it.

Her amythine fingers gripped tightly onto whatever fabric they could grasp and ripped it off without mercy. Scraps of viscera-riddled rubber fell to the floor, making the already war torn hotel room look like a hell hole. It was all too much. She cried out a little with every rip and tear as her clothing was revealed underneath, just a simple t-shirt and trousers, untouched by the blood that coated her. Stitching ripped and rubber squealed as it was pried off.

Eventually, she finished removing the suit, panting loudly as she stumbled into the room’s ensuite bathroom, turning the taps on and splashing herself with water, washing some of the blood off her coal-coloured carapace.

Her hand fumbled over the tap and shut the flow off. Slowly, her eyes came to stare at herself in the mirror above the sink.

You’re a fucking monster.

Look at you.

Need a hazmat suit just to visit a space station with your boyfriend, can’t even save yourself without murdering someone in the process.

She didn’t even dare to speak aloud. She wanted to crack and smash the face before her; who knows what she’d do if she heard the creature’s voice.

I swore I would be better, but I -

She sighed loudly, turning the tap on again more gently and splashing more water on her face.

Be better. Do some good. Gotta figure out how to stop doing bad first.

Cupping a handful of water into her slightly trembling palms, she gulped it down and turned the tap off, the water having a cleansing effect on both her mind and throat. Turning back to face the front door and striding over to it, her confidence returned to her step as she approached.

People are in danger. My identity crisis can fucking wait.

The furniture was easily tossed aside, but that only solved part of the problem. She needed information. Seeth huffed loudly and rubbed her arm anxiously. She needed to open herself up to the network again.

Having closed herself off from the corrupted network, she had been isolated and disconnected from the others ever since departing from their factory, operating as if she’d never been a part of it in the first place. But now, she needed to know the damage Plasia had done.

Standing with her back straight, she closed her eyes and lowered the wall in her mind. The rush of information hit her like a drug. The eyes of Slaves, the thoughts of Nodes, it all became available for her picking, a rich tapestry of real time, organic data for her to absorb. The station revealed its secrets in an instant, and the extent of the infection; she could see Plasia’s slaves hunting down their targets, their eyes fixed on the uncorrupted in the cramped corridors of Barru X.

Six-hundred odd already? Another three-hundred mid way through corruption, too late to stop. I think I can -

Her heart jolted in her chest. There were more.

T-the freighter?! Twenty-thousand?!

She strained and attempted to push some control over the corrupted crew, trying to get them to turn the freighter around, or take their own lives, but she could feel an interference; they were being protected from her direct control.

Fucking Leech and Moltezz! UGH! If I can get close enough, I can override their control but… I need to move! Now!

Strong hands ripped at the furniture and flung it across the room carelessly, the drawers and bedside tables smashing as they hit the floor. Seeth yanked the door open and threw herself down the dimly-lit corridor. They were running out of time.

*

“Who the hell is docking at the station?! We're literally in full evacuation! We're broadcasting it, for star’s sakes! And more than that, what idiot allowed them to dock?!” Venner was charging back and forth through the security office, scrubbing data from the consoles and ensuring there was nothing for the enemy Controllers to salvage.

There were only a few guards left in the office now; pretty much all of them were busy defending choke-points or guiding people off the station.

“Ma'am... We made an exception.”

“What?!? WHY?” The station shook suddenly, and distant alarms rang out. Venner charged over to her work station, leaping over her desk and pulling up the emergency panel on her terminal again. “Oh my god... life support and artificial gravity have completely died in the long stay wing... I think there's a breach in the hull too... Bulkheads have already sealed though, so it shouldn't impact the evacuation.” Her mind went to the guard unit she dispatched there, and to Plasia. Last she saw on the cameras, they’d killed each-other... She wondered how Diego and Seeth would take the news, if they were even still alive. “Gah! It's all happening too fast! Uhm, the craft that docked! You said you made an exception?” She turned her attention briefly back to the other guard, who'd followed her anxiously.

“He's coming up now... I... I better leave you to it.”

“What the hell does that mean? Oi! Get your ass back here!” Venner called after him, but the guard had quickly departed, turning the corner and heading for the stairs.

He better not be leaving me with more people to -

Her heart leapt into her throat, stinging tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She cupped her hands to her face as emotion overcame her.

“R-Robin?!?”

At the entrance to the security deck a small human male waivered, with wispy blonde hair and a cute button face, dressed in barely more than brown rags. A uniformed draconic commander stood nearby, alert and attentive. They had both been looking around the office, before sharply turning their attention towards Venner at the sound of her voice.

“Venner!”

They sprinted across the room to one another, falling into each-other's arms and burying their faces in the other's shoulder.

“I-I thought I'd never see you again!” Veneer sobbed, choking on her tears.

Robin stayed silent, shuddering slightly in Venner's arms and holding onto her tightly. Before they could share their moment for too long however, Jace cleared his throat behind them. Venner held onto her husband, and addressed him from over the smaller male’s shoulder.

“A-are you the asshole that-” Venner's eyes narrowed, and she felt her temper begin to rise.

“No. I would never stoop so low as him.” Jace met her eyes, but remained calm.

“You know about all this...? What he did?”

“I do. Or, I know enough anyway. I know it doesn't fix anything, but I promise you that I will seek justice for his actions. I understand you're evacuating the space station?”

“We are. Why do you ask?” Venner remained cautious; her previous run-in with the DA hadn’t exactly gone well, and she dreaded to think what he could gain from her information.

“I’ve docked with a small, independent vessel, I can evacuate up to fifteen people on it. I'd like to offer those seats to anyone left aboard the station, yourself and your husband included.”

“I don't need it; I've got my own ship, but I know it's a bit of a squeeze on the pods... if you're truly intent on helping, get your ass down to the primary hangers and tell 'em Venner sent you.”

Jace nodded and turned to leave.

“Wait! What's your name?”

“Commander Jace Koa, Ma'am.”

“Thank you, Commander Koa. I wish you a safe passage.”

“You're welcome, Ma'am.” With that, Jace left the two alone and headed back down the stairs, following the signs toward the hanger.

Venner turned her attention back to the smaller human in her arms, finally prying herself off of him and getting a good top-to-bottom look of him. Her eyes took in every detail, from his scruffy hair to his baggy shirt and trousers. He was shorter and thinner than Venner, rather meek even by human standards, but his amber eyes portrayed a sly intellect. A weak smile crept over his face as he eyed her back.

“It's so good to see you, Robin!” Venner choked back more tears and pulled him in for another hug. Before he responded, Robin quickly glanced around to ensure they were alone.

“Mhm.” Despite the smile on his face, his grip around her was loose, and he seemed… unimpressed. “It's good to see you too, Venner.”

“I-is there something wrong, Robin? Are you hungry? Did they hurt you...?” As she spoke, her comms unit buzzed loudly with multiple incoming call requests, but she silenced it and focused her attention back on Robin.

“It's fine, nothing, really.”

“No, really, Robin, what's going on?”

“I just… Well, I think you could have done a little better, that's all.”

She paused, her throat croaking quietly as the words choked her.

“I - I tried, Robin! I really did! You got caught by the DA! What was I supposed to do?!”

“Don't. Let's get out of here first, then we can talk. You said you have a ship?” He pulled away from her, looking around the room.

“I... Robin - I can't leave yet. I'm going to be one of the last off the station, I need to make sure this evacuation goes as smoothly as possible. I can arrange an escort to my ship if that makes you feel safer?”

He sighed loudly and shook his head.

“No, it’s fine. You do your thing. I'll wait here.”

“O-okay. You just... sit tight. I'll, uh...” She turned around, her shoulders slumping as a weak sigh escaping her lips. She glanced back and took another look at him as she paced into her office. He sat down on a chair away from her and stared around the room, looking anywhere but at her.

She crept back to her chair, slowly pulled her headphones over her ears, and pressed to accept the next call.

“Venner here... what's up?”

Time ticked away as the Controller freighter approached. Passengers were guided onto ships and quickly departed from the station, with the guards holding key locations. The attacks from the corrupted passengers remained weak and ineffective, unable to breach the line of scasers and pistols, soldiers and nomads.

As each ship launched, Venner watched the total number of habitants about the station dropped, clinging to her desk as the time they had ticked away. She bounced between different calls from her guards, registering the departing ships, and keeping a close eye on the station's critical systems. Although the long stay wing had completely collapsed, the rest of the station remained in working order.

Despite their amazing progress - over half the station had already been evacuated - the clock continued to count down, and every second meant the freighter was coming closer. Soon enough, it became apparent that the evacuations would not be completed in time – the freighter was too close – they only needed a few minutes more, but it was time they simply didn't have.

Venner relayed the message to her guards, explaining the situation as best as she could. 

“There’s no easy way to say this, but I need volunteers to defend the hanger. Just thirty people could save the lives of six-hundred others.”

Across the station, the guards began to relay the message, across their choke-points and amongst the nomads who were committed to defending the station. It was an open message, and an honest one.

They looked at each-other in silence, all across the station, then conversations played out, all the same. Some broke, shaking their heads and continuing to board the departing ships. Some paused, as though mulling it over, eyeing up their supplies and the station’s defences. But a few gathered their weapons, taking supplies and extra ammunition from the guard force as they made their way to the hangar.

Venner watched over the cameras in amazement as several nomads strode across the station, their faces all grit with the same steely determination. Some looked more nervous than others, but none of them turned back. Two of Venner's personal guard units joined them. Trolleys of weapons, armour and provisions were loaded and brought by spare nomad hands.

Solemn thanks escaped the lips of every person they passed. This would be a one-way trip. Whoever entered that hanger, would not be leaving.

The guards took the names of every person who was offering their lives, and passed them along to Venner. She would ensure that they would not be forgotten.

They quickly formed defensive positions, stacking up crates and spare ship plating into defensive positions, along with the two construction mechs, both armed with their heavy nail drivers and rock breakers. A mixed line of guards and nomads, dressed in a mixture of salvaged guard armour, flak plates, space gear and worn mechanic outfits. Those who had brought their own sidearms were provided with beefier armaments but, more importantly, the very best Barru X had to offer was given in full.

A tray of food left over from the station's restaurants and a mug of “Bold Nova” brand whiskey was given to every defender.

They laughed together; “Bold Nova” was an acquired taste and it showed in the various reactions around the hangar. Their hearts beat together as they ate their last meal and enjoyed the prestigious drink, watching the distant lights fade through the hangar doors. Ships and pods escaping the station visible to them via the hanger doors, like shooting stars escaping to burn bright another day.

But one star drew closer.

It was time.

Nova was necked, weapons were drawn. They took their positions. A line of rifles, scasers, repeaters and two huge nail-guns were waiting for the coming assault. The order was just to hold for as long as possible.

The massive metal ship encroached on their vision, its silhouette becoming more and more pronounced as it closed in, blotting out the stars.

They all shuddered in their boots as metal hit metal, the sound of hydraulics sliding, airlocks sealing and hundreds of tons of securing mechanisms interlocking to bring the docking ramp of the freighter into the hangar.

Slowly, the hanger doors clunked, hissed and unveiled the freighter's dreaded cargo.

The defenders all raised their weapons and waited as Moltezz appeared, standing tall above the line of Slaves in front of her. They were armed with clubs, knives and tools, and each stood perfectly still under Moltezz's control.

In one eerie movement, the Slaves parted and Moltezz confidently strode down the ramp alone, a shield of dancing flames slowly forming around her. The hangar was already beginning to heat up. Fingers twitched on triggers. The mech's readjusted their aim towards her.

Moltezz's twisted glare glanced over the line of guns pointed at her and slowly, a disappointed scowl broke over her face.

“Hmm. I deserve a stronger response than this.”