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Senator Adonius
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Quadrant: Darna Quadrant
Government: Republic of Hekat
System: D-447
Planet: Ora
Location: Agora City, near Warden Akaria’s office, facility beneath the Colosseum.
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***
Two weeks ago – One hour before H777 escaped the facility
***
Akaria and I walk through the annoyingly winding hallways of the facility under the Colosseum in the capital city of this barren planet. She moves her hand through her holopad, trying to discreetly send messages. I pay it little mind, the last two weeks have been draining on my patience, this filthy slave H777 has caused so much grief for me. At first he was the golden goose, raking in hundreds of millions which caused father to praise me. Now he costs our great house a slagton of Deca just in legal fees, not to mention the bribes to keep the Hunt going. His sponsor has proven to be resourceful beyond the means of money, they must be from a high standing Noble house. Father is certain he will know more soon.
“Akaria how much further.” I growl, my patience is nearly spent. My implants desperately need recalibration.
“Almost there.” She says, moving me towards another doorway.
When I get my hands on this H777, the things I do to him will make the Gods of Slaughter recoil. It does not matter that father will resolve the issue with the Grand Senate. It is the principle of it, a slagging slave makes my day worse, there will be hell to pay. My holopad chimes a notification, my implants show it in the corner of my vision, the RSC commander.
Official notice from Republic Space Command
Interim Adonius, the Grand Senate has sent me a writ for the collection of H777.
RSC will be sending in a collection team. If you interfere, I will report it.
Long live the Republic – Commander Merrik
“Slagging smug bastard.” My temples burn from my implants. He purposefully mocks me, not even giving me the honorific of Governor.
“We are here.” Akaria says.
Large double doors recess into the wall as we walk into her office lobby. Twenty of my father’s personal house guards stand ready. Why he invests so much in her I will never understand. This is not the time to wonder, soon RSC will send soldiers here. There is little time to extract him.
“Everything is in place?” I ask her, taking a seat in her offices chair, making her sit across in the chair that rises.
“It is.”
“Good, good.”
Tenting my hands in front of me I wait for the delight that will soon follow.
“They have acquired him. Proceed?”
I nod, a grin on my lips. The implants will not be able to suppress the joy in this.
“Lieutenant, before you exfil the target, take him to my office.” Akaria says to her holopad.
She nods to me now. I move my hand through my holopad, authorizing a mock simulation of our systems being corrupted. The entire facility goes immediately to compartmentalized systems, in order to prevent the spread of simulated corruption, as is the Republic mandate. The comm channels go offline, centralized access to audio and video also going down. Leaving no bread crumb trail to follow.
“They should be here in less than five.” Akaria says, but there is something strange in her demeanor now.
I try to peel back the mask, my implants tell me she is being deceptive about something. What though…
***
Twenty minutes have passed and the systems have begun to come back online, purging the fake rot, decompartmentalizing and coming back into my command once more.
“Akaria, I believe an explanation is in order.” I seethe. I can feel the burn in my temples, my anger is spilling over, my hands becoming clenched.
“It would appear he has escaped.” She says, tilting her head slightly to the side at me she continues almost mockingly “Should I inform your father, or will you?”
My hands slam against her black marble desk splitting it in half. Sending my hair askew. A warning signal flashes in my view from my implants. It will have notified father to my outburst no doubt. She has struck at me again. She wants me to fail. Why has father thrust her upon me, making my duty more difficult.
“Well played.” I say, pushing my hair back up and straightening myself. A smirk rolls onto her face. A smirk I will be removing soon enough. Once I find what makes her heart feel.
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Quadrant: Darna Quadrant
Government: Republic of Hekat
System: D-447
Planet: Ora
Location: Agora City, Governor’s Office
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***
Two Weeks later – Three hours before the Second Challenge of the Grand Hunt
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
***
“Sir, there has been a breach reported in the maintenance shaft in section…” the rude Lieutenant begins.
“I will tan your hide if you bring such pointless drivel to me again. Do your slagging job and deal with it yourself.”
He stands to attention and salutes, leaving the room. I will have to speak to his commander. It simply will not do. Walking out after him, I look to my assistant, a smile edging on my lip as I admire her features.
“Make a note to his commander, I want him flogged.” I say,
She nods to me, not meeting my eye. A slave that knows how to respect its master. It is a shame really, she has done so much better than the others in her administrative duties.
“When you are done, I have need of you in my office.” She shudders, causing a smile to crest my lips fully “But first send for Akaria.”
***
Akaria walks into my office now, her demeanor I have not determined yet. She does not speak, she always keeps her mask tight on her face when I am near. Behind her is my assistant, followed by Marcus. I had not intended for him to witness what comes, but it will serve as a reminder to him.
“Fetch me that bottle of wine I showed you earlier. Be sure to decant it first.” I say to my assistant. Motioning now for Marcus and Akaria to sit before me, across my large white marble desk.
I can hardly hold in my excitement as I tent my hands in front of me, staring deep into Akaria’s bionic eyes. Waiting for her to realize. My assistant’s hand shakes as she pours the wine into my glass. Soon she fills theirs. Akaria brings it up to her nose and pauses, my lips curl once more as she smells it fully.
“Veratath wine, aged – two years maybe.” Marcus says after a taste. His ability to distinguish wines perhaps his only real talent.
“Aged three years.” I correct.
I can tell from her face and quick glances that she wonders if I know her secret. Oh, how gleeful it was to discover it, such a sweet thing, finding a soft space in her crippled heart. How I have savored the moment that comes soon. Perhaps father keeps her as a pet because he wants to teach me restraint, or perhaps how to enjoy every sting to the fullest. Either way, I owe him thanks for more than the merriment of the station he has provided me.
On my holopad I press a command, sending it to the implant embedded into my assistant's neck, the same one we gave all the Kuwathi when they were selected. She freezes in place, her nervous system not responding to her body’s no doubt frantic commands. Standing now I move towards my table drawer, pulling from it my precious instruments case. Opening it upon the table, I grab my favorite knife. My assistant’s dirty Kuwathi eyes are set ablaze now as she sees the blade. She is fully aware, able to feel pain, but completely helpless now. Just the way I like it.
“You will be the one to kill her.” I say to Akaria. Marcus shifts uncomfortably in his chair. Moving to stand, I place a hand slamming him back into his seat. He will watch. Lest he forget.
I can see by the vapid expression Akaria does not understand my glorious scheme. I have waited for three years now, waiting patiently as father always told me. Vengeance is a dish best served with a pairing of distilled tears.
“I will not.” She protests. I can tell though, she senses something is amiss.
Sitting down against the desk, I scrape the knife gently against the Kuwathi slave’s sweating skin, her filthy eyes lighting up more. I turn the blade and hold it out to Akaria. The grin coming forth to my face, like a painted victory. She knows I have something that sits close behind the shield that wraps her heart. I can tell… I can always tell.
“I found it curious that you spent so much time with that boy, the one the Senate fussed over. The one who somehow escaped under your nose. So, I did what any good lord would do for his subject. I started digging.” I say, with my free hand I grasp the glass of wine, taking in its aroma, aged for three years, I had it bottled the last time I was able to hurt her. A celebratory drink, a ritual even, she knows I only drink it when I am sure I have found something to pierce her heart.
She does not speak, but she does listen, ever so intently upon my words. A giggle comes from my mouth. My face contorts at it, an annoying habit. I really need to get my implants readjusted.
“They say when you dig one hole and find nothing, perhaps you should dig another.” I say swirling the wine in the glass, my grin comes in earnest now as I say “I found something interesting in the other hole.”
She gulps, I can see the vein in her forehead broaden, striking a chord. My grin deepens.
“It is curious is it not, that so many of the orphans taken during the collections go missing.” I say, taking another sip, savoring the wine as I savor the twists of her face “At first, I thought maybe some Noble was buying them up under my nose, selling them as slaves etcetera. So I dug deeper, who is this pervert and why is he not paying me the going rate?”
I feel the tension inside her, it brings joy to my heart.
“You will obey me, or your precious little orphans will be slop for the trough.” I say, her face turns askew, the pleasure of it is not lost on me.
“Hurt me in her place.” Akaria says, the sound so soft on my ears – like a symphony of suffering at its crescendo. I feel her mask slipping, nearly in my palm now.
“I cannot physically hurt you, you know father has forbidden it, you are his alone.” I say, swirling the glass of wine. The grin wishes to deepen further, but I hold it back for the moment, wanting to savor my triumph.
Akaria grabs the knife from my hand, dragging it across my assistant’s throat, spraying blood all over the room, like an abstract painting. My eyes widen as I begin to laugh aloud. She does not yell or scream. A single tear begins to roll from her eye as my former assistant’s body slumps to the floor.
“He did not say I couldn’t break your will however, and how I love to see you suffer, I have always loved it. The sweet nectar of your tears.” I say moving towards her, wiping the tear that parts the blood from her cheek, licking my finger. She recoils from my touch, the grin broadens.
Marcus gets up now with wide eyes, covered in blood.
“I – um need to get changed, the Grand Hunt starts soon.” He says, backing away.
I nod to him, parting the blood on my face, as I push my hand through my hair. A shame I will have to wash it away before the Hunt begins.
Akaria shakes as she glares at me.
“Take her body to the trough.” I say, turning to go towards my chambers.
I can hear her heavy breath still. Holding back the pain.
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Quadrant: Darna Quadrant
Government: Republic of Hekat
System: D-447
Planet: Ora
Location: Agora City, The Colosseum
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***
Present Time
***
“Our Benevolent Governor Adonius has secured special dispensation from the Senate for the next challenge. Using his connections,” Marcus puts a hand to the side of his face pretending to whisper “yet another reason to vote Adonius for Governor.”
That’s the way Marcus, keep licking my boots, it will serve you well. I force a smile to the crowds, raising a hand upwards as they cheer for me.
“Please Marcus, these good people came for the games not politics. Let them enjoy what’s in store for them.” I say. It takes everything in me to not laugh at these lower life forms as they cheer for me, their future master. If only they knew what I had in store for them. I so wish I could see each of their faces when they realize it. But alas, patience as father always said is a virtue.
“So humble, truly a remarkable man.” Marcus says, bringing his hands together to clap, he gives me a staged wink before he says “Without further ado, I give to you the most fearsome predator in the galaxy!”
I look at Akaria, her face askew again as she knows what comes up from the bowels of this rotting corpse of a city. A gift from my father, illegal to own lest given special permission. The fastest way to cull the herds of filth. My eyes shall watch her face with pleasure, father forbid from her flesh… but he said nothing of the spoils of her mind.
Raising a hand upwards I usher in the next challenge. My eyes fixated on her face. The pain they seek stirring me. A smile lays itself upon me, joy spreading in my chest, as I hear the screams from the crowds, but the real treat will be her face. How I long for it to crack. Something is wrong though as I look at her face, it does not crack as I hoped… it forms a smile. Disgusting.
“Sir, there appears to be a problem.” Marcus whispers to me, tugging with his filthy hand at my shoulder.
Turning now, I look down upon the sands, indeed something is strange, the creature has not left its cage yet. The hairs on my spine stand up as I see a figure walking out of the box, it is a person. It grasps the head of my pet, throwing it to the ground. I feel a surge of annoyance, even my implants can’t suppress.
“You who would lay claim to my people, you have incurred the wrath of their blade made flesh.” The figure says, their voice amplified somehow, distorted even.
“What is the meaning of this?” I growl at Akaria, her incompetence never ceases to amaze me.
“I do not know…” she says to me, a smile fully sprouted on her face now. My implants tell me she lies. She holds something small and metallic in her grasp, I can’t quite make out what it is.
I will deal with her later, turning to look down on the figure. Peering closer I see it wears a light black armor, similar to what mercenaries wear. Interesting. Touching my implants I try to gather data from it, but I keep getting an error message. Kerathi Corp outer armor perhaps, with illegal mods to block a Noble’s implants no doubt. Whoever this is, they have substantial financial backing. No matter, I send a request on my holopad for soldiers to come clear the field. The figure turns towards me now. Pointing a plasma blade upwards.
“You who enslave and place boot to neck, I have come for your life.”
My eyes narrow, my hand clasping my ionic blade’s hilt. There is something strange happening inside of me as I look upon the glow of their eyes. The implants burn in my temples trying to suppress this feeling which becomes more intense the longer I stare into the abyss.