Ship: The Reaper's Envy

System: Stygian Outrim

LINARES SWALLOWED AND DRIED HER SWEATING PALMS AS SHE TIGHTENED HER HANDWRAPS. The joints in her fingers and toes were sore with nerves, she flexed her hands a few times as she lined up beside Venatonce as the cavernous hangar bay bustled with activity. Heavy footfalls and terse orders bounced off the jagged metal and tall, horizontal bay doors lining the walls like a ribcage. Phalanxes of Orovians emerged from deeper within the ship, armed to the teeth as the bounty hunter's ship thrashed within the cables pulling it in. The Slicer couldn't break free, and the cables dragged into two weighty restraint clamps hanging overhead. An Orovian soldier approached her and Venatonce as the docking clamps clunked ominously around the Kurgan's wings.

"Orders, sir?" he asked.

Venatonce chuckled. "The lamb comes to meet the shepherd's steel, on his back and legs splayed wide…"

The Orovian hesitated, nearly spoke again, then looked at Linares for help. The Ironstorm rolled her eyes. "Just…form a perimeter."

"Aye, ma'am."

He marched off and directed the battalion of Orovian troops into an arc around the ship.

IN THE BRIDGE OF THE KURGAN, QARNAN GRABBED THE CB MIC AND SWITCHED THE COMMS TO THE SHIP'S OUTER SPEAKERS.

"Listen up!" his voice boomed on the tinny speakers, "I got yer boy, as commissioned. Lemme talk ta the big lady!"

Through the viewport, he saw the other two — Linares and Venatonce — as Linares stepped forward, arms folded.

"You wanna talk?" she replied, authoritative and strong, "Open the bay doors and we'll talk."

"I meant the lady in charge, not you ya spacefaring paraquat!" Qarnan growled back, "Now if ya don't let my baby outta these clamps on the count'a three, I'm gonna—"

Venatonce snarled from her side and leaped off the upper walkway, landing hard on the nose of the Kurgan, then strode up above the viewport. "Your arrogance will be tolerated no longer, bottom feeder!" The Entroph thrust his glaive into the roof of the bridge, rapidly melting the metal as he dragged a long tear across the outer hull.

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Ash woke up as hot sparks and molten steel dripped on his face. He lazily wiped the drops off as Qarnan bared his teeth, and dug into a saddlebag attached to his chair labeled 'In Case of Toll Booth.'

"Y'know, ya try ta make an honest livin'," he ranted to no one as he dug around, "And everywhere ya look, there's just bad faith business partners." After a moment, he drew a flamethrower from the satchel. Just then, a chunk of the cieling broke inward, a gaping three-foot hole now above them in the bridge as Venatonce glared down at them. "THAT FINISH WAS VINTAGE, YA JACKBOOTED TRASH!"

"Your judgment is nigh, bounty hun—"

FWOOSH, Qarnan unleashed a torrent of fire upwards, blowing Venatonce off his perch as, wreathed in flame, he plummeted onto the hangar floor. Qarnan cracked his neck, holding the flamethrower in one hand, and pulled a massive plasma chainsaw from a drawer labeled 'in case of speed traps.'

Ash pulled himself up to a seated position, "Qarnan, wait, get the cuffs off and get my harness so I can—"

"NO WORDS, ONLY ACTIONS!"

LINARES FOUGHT TO CONTAIN HER LAUGHTER AS VENATONCE THUMPED ON THE HANGAR FLOOR. Several Orovians rushed to put out the fire coating him, but he threw them off with indignant growls as he stood and smacked the flames off himself. With how important this day was supposed to be, she was grateful to break the tension with something funny.

She snapped back to attention as Sledger Qarnan leapt out of the cockpit and perched on the nose of his ship. She took a few steps to the right and lined up her eyes directly with him, hand falling to her mace.

"Ya wanna scam me outta what I'm due?!" he dared them, "COME AND GET 'EM, YA—" FZZT, Linares grabbed her mace and cast a lance of red lightning across the bay, blowing the bounty hunter's head apart. His arms dropped and he fell from the ship, plopping right beside Venatonce. The God of the Hunt sneered up at her.

"He was mine!"

"We did not have all day," she dismissed.

She caught movement in her periphery and looked up to the bridge again, where a new figure emerged. Her eyes widened and her muscles locked up as the tall, broad and sturdy figure in red combat fatigues stood at full height, showing his rugged face and haunted eyes. There he was, in the flesh. Maladact's firstborn.

All eyes fixed on the Ascendant of War. He and Linares locked eyes and the air rippled. The Ascendant took her in curiously, while she stared at him as if he might not be real. After a few tense moments, he finally spoke.

"I hear you're looking for me."

Silence. She looked desperately for the right words — something to put him in his place and assure his cooperation, but nothing came. Her lips parted and she nearly formed the words, when suddenly her skin crawled,

"Indeed we are," came the icy voice. Linares shut her eyes and stepped back.

Atrocita stood just behind her.