The Crumbling Orb

EPISODE VIII: The Shadow Exchange

A few days before the Aparoid Invasion.

In orbit of a desert planet with spotted lakes scattered everywhere was a hyperspace ring with two large ships beside it as defense ships.

The hyperspace ring and the defense ships had the Shadow Exchange logo on them.

Two mercenary starfighters left hyperspeed through the ring and headed to the planet, flying low enough to a rainy city with neon lights on every single roof of the buildings and even scattered on the streets.

The starfighters flew by a building that had a neon light symbol of the Shadow Exchange.

Inside the office sitting on a fur couch was a Moth-Humanoid who was counting credits while two human females laid on his lap with slave collars around their necks.

A human male walked in and waited to be acknowledged.

In two minutes the Moth-Humanoid looked up and cocked an eyebrow behind his red heart-shaped glasses.

“I’m busy.” He said.

“Mister, Valentino. Our spies told us that the Tyrant Overlord known as Stolas is no longer a Tyrant Overlord. The other three Tyrants paid us the total sum of twenty million credits to have him assassinated.” The man said.

“Excellent!” Valentino said.

Valentino shoved the two slaves to the floor as he got up and walked to his desk typing on the console with a wide grin on his face.

“I will send our top assassins to locate him. The problem is them getting to his homeworld will be tricky, but I’m sure our top assassins will think of something.” Valentino said.

“The last Hutt Cartel leader also resigned. His mercenaries are to join up with us.” The man said.

“The end of the Cartel, the further rise of the Shadow Exchange.” Valentino said with a chuckle.

Valentino clicked the assassinate button.

Back to the present time.

Ken and Eto was sitting at a table in the royal kitchen of Stolas’ palace and were playing chess with Hide nearby looking in the refrigerator.

“Raloi sure eat differently than us.” Hide said pulling out a strange milk substance and cocked an eyebrow.

Stolas’ now ex-wife, Stella, walked in and snatched the milk from Hide and shoved him away before putting it in the refrigerator.

“Hey!” Hide said.

“You locked the door on me yesterday when I was to speak to my unbearable ex-husband over what I get in the divorce!” Stella said.

“Hey listen, you was being a bother.” Hide said.

“A bother!” Stella shouted.

She grabbed a random item on the counter and threw it at Hide and as he was ducking she kept throwing things.

“Was I a bother when I bared a fucking kid for my oh so wonderful fucking idiotic husband!” Stella shouted.

“You’re nuts!” Hide shouted.

Octavia walked in with a sigh and sat beside Ken and Eto and went onto her phone.

“You!” Stella shouted at her.

“Hi, mom.” Octavia said with a regretful noise.

“I’m taking you!” Stella shouted.

“What!? I don’t want to be taken away from dad!” Octavia shouted.

“Too bad!” Stella shouted.

Joker walked in.

“What’s with the screaming?” Joker asked.

“Shut up!” Stella said to him.

“Bite my head off why don’t you…” Joker mumbled.

“What on earth are you doing!?” Stolas asked walking in.

“I’m making sure I get what belongs to me, and one thing being my kid!” Stella shouted while pointing to Octavia.

“You cannot just take our daughter away for yourself!” Stolas said.

“You should have thought about that when you was masturbating to some deceased man’s picture!” Stella shouted while throwing two things at him.

Stolas dodged each throw and frowned at her.

“You can have everything, just as long as I see my daughter!” Stolas yelled.

“Hell no!” Stella shouted.

The two walked off into another room and argued some more.

“I’m sorry.” Hide said to Octavia.

Octavia had her head down between her knees.

Eto looked to Ken, Hide, and Joker.

“Woman time please?” Eto asked.

The boys left the room and Eto patted Octavia’s back.

“It’s only one more year till you’re eighteen. Then you can make your own decisions.” Eto said.

“I don’t want to be taken away from my dad.” Octavia said weakly.

“Just curious, are they always like this, even before the divorce?” Eto asked.

“They always argue. The reason they didn’t divorce is because Dad wanted to help her out, give her a life of royalty.” Octavia said.

“Sometimes things change, you know?” Eto said.

“Yeah but I don’t want two family’s, I wanted one.” Octavia said.

“Was your father always a closet homosexual?” Eto asked.

“He’s pansexual, but he started looking at men for about six years now. He only opens up about it when he’s alone, or with me, or with all of us as you have seen. I just want my dad and mom happy, but it feels like there is nothing I can do.” Octavia said putting her hands on her face.

Eto gave her a hug.

“Hey, it will be okay. You just need to have hope.” Eto said.

“I’ve tried to have hope.” Octavia said weakly.

“Sometimes hope comes at an unexpected moment.” Eto said.

“I just- I just… If I had to choose between crazy and stupid. I’d choose my stupid dad any day. He’s always comforted me, always been there to do the things I wanted to do, always buying me things I don’t need but it still puts a smile on my face that he tries. I want my dad.” Octavia cried.

Eto kept comforting her and speaking to her.

Stolas was looking at them outside through the window with a worried look on his face and then he turned around to see Stella shattering two planted flowers onto the floor while the servants tried to hurry up and clean every mess she was making.

Stolas sighed.

“You can have anything you want, I just want my daughter.” Stolas said calmly.

Stella walked by him and pushed him against the wall.

“I will make sure you regret this.” Stella said.

Stella walked off while yelling at two servants to follow her.

Stolas sighed and looked up at the sky sadly.

Then he noticed a few strange ships entering the sky.

“Never saw those before.” Stolas said to himself.

Three proton torpedos came from one of the ships and flew down wiping out the bridge of a Raloi frigate.

“What the!” Stolas shouted.

Alarms began to go off and he saw even more ships coming down from the sky.

“Invasion alert! This is not Aparoids!” The alarm said in his palace.

Eto and Octavia ran out and looked at the sky seeing two different types of ships flying down while sending down protons to attack nearby Raloi frigates and even engaging a Federation Endurance-class.

“We’re under attack by unknowns!” Eto shouted to Ken who was running up.

“They aren’t unknowns.” Thane said running up behind them.

“Who are they?” Ken asked.

“The Shadow Exchange’s private mercenary fleet.” Thane said.

The palace’s shield collapsed.

“What’s going on.” Stolas said to a servant.

The servant was looking through his holocom.

“Our shield generator was hacked by the Shadow Exchange.” The servant said.

Two Shadow Exchange ships crashed against the palace and began to unload mercenaries.

One mercenary dropped down and shot the servant and went to shoot Stolas until Stolas used his magic to release a few stones from his wall and launch them like bullets into the mercenary.

“Already making a mess of my place.” Stolas grumbled.

“Look what you did!” Stella shouted running over to him.

“What I did!?” Stolas yelled back.

“Putting your chips on the Federation, that’s what you did! Now we are targets to the galaxy!” Stella shouted.

Stella walked away from him finding Octavia and grabbed her wrist.

“Mom, let go!” Octavia shouted.

“We’re leaving to a stronghold, come on!” Stella shouted.

“Where’s dad!” Octavia said.

“Let’s go!” Stella shouted ignoring her question.

Stella pulled Octavia off into the palace while soldiers ran by to take care of the invaders.

Scourge headed outside and used the force to bring one of the cruisers away from the side of the palace and throwing it off into the garden.

“Isn’t that Stolas’ garden?” Karura asked walking up.

“Was.” Scourge said.

Five Raloi frigates rush to hover over the palace while starfighters flew out to engage enemy starfighters.

“Who are these people?” Karura asked.

“Apart of the Shadow Exchange.” Thane said running up to them.

“Where are Ken and Eto?” Scourge asked.

“Off to fight the invaders.” Thane said.

They noticed a strange-looking ship coming down and it’s turbolasers shot down at the palace while it kept flying toward it and stopped dropping down two escape pods into the destroyed opening of the palace.

The escape pods opened and two people walked out of them, a male and female that looked nearly identical to what they was wearing and with earrings on.

They was both Vampyres, the male named Noi, and the female named Vern.

Three guards ran at them and both of the Vampyre’s rung out a strange sonic boom from their mouths that knocked the guards away and burst their eardrums and then their brains.

“I bet they are keeping Stolas somewhere secure.” Noi said.

The two noticed Octavia and Stella running somewhere with six guards following them.

“I think I know where he is.” Noi said with a grin.

Noi pushed his orange styled shades up and both him and Vern leaped down a few floors from the walkway and landed down in front of Octavia, Stella, and their guards.

The guards aimed but were blasted away by the same supersonic wind that blew their brains out.

Stella went to attack but Vern leaped up biting her fangs into her neck and Noi letting out a burst of air from his palm that cut right through her chest and out of her back.

Octavia began to create a spell until Vern spun her foot out and kicked Octavia into a pillar.

“Wait, this is his daughter.” Noi said.

Octavia was knocked when her head made an impact with the pillar.

Noi contacted a Shadow Exchange pilot to their location and a shuttle headed down from the strange-looking ship.

“Now we-” Vern began to say.

A blaster bolt hit Vern’s right ear, blasting it off making her yip in pain.

Noi turned around and saw Joker with his blaster drawn.

“I’m not letting you take anyone.” Joker said.

Vern turned around and let out a powerful wind from her mouth which swirled and began to cut up Joker.

Joker weakly tried to shoot again but his gun was ripped apart and soon his body was shredded up by the powerful razer wind.

Joker dropped to the floor and the shuttle crashed through the wall and Noi and Vern handcuffed Octavia and placed her into the shuttle, and the shuttle headed back to the large ship.

“Joker!” Scourge shouted running in.

Ken leaped down next and de-summoned his kakuja.

“Oh my god.” Ken said.

Joker laid there dead staring at the ceiling.

Scourge put his fingers on his eyes and shut them.

The Shadow Exchange fleet headed up into the sky, heading back into space, and eventually the remaining forces left into hyperspeed.

A few minutes later, Thane was looking at the enemy bodies.

“They are mercenaries for the Shadow Exchange alright.” Thane said after examining them.

Stolas ran in.

“Dude I’m sorry about-” Hide began to say.

“Octavia! Octavia!” Stolas shouted looking around in panic.

“Stolas, calm down.” Ken said.

Stolas turned and gave Ken a scary stare.

“Don’t you tell me to calm down!” Stolas said eerily.

“Stolas, your ex-wife is dead.” Hide said.

“As sad as it is to hear that, my focus now is finding my daughter.” Stolas said.

“Sir! We found a datapad left in your throne, with a note to say to give it to you.” A Raloi guard said.

Stolas took it and turned it on.

Stolas read it and then while the datapad was in his hands, he began to crunch it down breaking the metal and letting the electrical sparks hurt him but it didn’t seem like he cared.

“What did it say?” Ken asked.

“They have my daughter. It’s me they want, and they will make a trade.” Stolas said.

“Can’t we then go and I don’t know, destroy this company?” Ken asked.

“They want to meet on a disclosed location on the outer rim of our System, on a barren planet of ice.” Stolas said.

“They would never disclose their base location to us. Makes sense they want to do the exchange in this system.” Thane said.

“No one knows where their base is?” Scourge asked.

“No. I also doubt they’d have Octavia with them. They’d want Stolas and her to have a much grander bounty.” Thane said.

Stolas walked over to his desk.

“There has to be a way we can- what are you doing?” Ken asked looking to Stolas.

Stolas brought out a strange looking device and turned it on.

“What is that?” Hide asked.

“A tracking device I put on Octavia’s phone. Luckily they never took it off her because they wouldn’t know what our way of communication looks like. I see she’s at the Beskarr System on the planet Karakame.” Stolas said.

“Karakame, I never heard of it.” Ken said.

“Karakame is a drug lord’s dream. The Hutts used to control it until the Hutt Cartels all disbanded. Only recently was the last Hutt to disband the Cartel and now the Cartel is no more, now leaving the Shadow Exchange as the last and most powerful illegal business center.” Thane said.

Stolas picked up his grimoire and walked out while speaking to one of his guards.

“I want half of our fleet to head to Karakame, ask everyone else to stay here.” Stolas said.

“Wait hold on, you’re going to need help.” Eto said.

“I won’t risk any more lives.” Stolas said.

“Think straight, if you go now then you might put her in danger. We will help you.” Eto said.

Stolas shook his head.

“This is my fault, I should have knew the risks of leaving my Tyrant title behind. I must fix it.” Stolas said.

Eto grabbed his collar yanking him down to face her.

“You aren’t going alone.” Eto said sternly.

Stolas gulped and looked at Ken and the others who were ready to go.

“Thank you, my friends.” Stolas said with a soft smile.

Octavia woke up in a cell and she tried to use her magic but nothing was happening.

There was a strange-looking device sitting on a pedestal giving off an energy that stopped her use of magic.

“Dad…” Octavia whined.

Octavia realized she still had her phone and she looked around hearing some noise coming and she quickly hid it again.

Two Shadow Exchange mercenaries walked by the cells and gave her a mean look before going about their business of torturing another prisoner in a cell nearby.

Octavia knew she had to wait till she was alone to call her father, until then she turned her phone on silent and placed it back.

Back at Turvess, there was fleets mobilizing.

“The Shadow Exchange has gotten into Federation affairs for two years and have assassinated a few of our ranks to make a few credits on the side. They’re a dangerous cooperation that must be taken out before we head to the Aparoid Homeworld. Once they are eliminated we will have no more enemies in the galaxy except for the Aparoids.” An admiral said.

“Not to mention they assassinate just about anyone, from other governments too.” Thane said.

“Then we destroy the Shadow Exchange once and for all.” Ken said.

Ken and his group headed to the Last Resort where Karura was getting the ship ready to fly.

“I miss Joker.” Eto sighed sitting on a seat.

“I guess he was a good friend to you all?” Karura asked.

“The best.” Ken said.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Karura said.

The Otter poked Karura’s ankle and she looked down at him as his arms reached up.

“No no, you do not sit on me.” Karura growled.

The Otter jumped onto the co-pilot seat and looked at Karura with a doll eye expression.

Karura tried not to look but gave in.

“Fine, come here.” Karura said.

The Otter jumped onto Karura’s lap and pretended to be the captain and pointed his small hand out as if to say, ‘let’s go’.

The Last Resort lifted up along with over a thousand Raloi starfighters from the hangers around the palace and all of them headed into space where a massive fleet was waiting.

Two large Geth Dreadnoughts was going with them.

“We sent a probe to the meeting spot, it’s giving out signals so the Shadow Exchange that is waiting at the meeting spot will think we are coming but instead we will head straight to their planet.” Alexander said on the intercom.

“Excellent, that should give us an edge.” Ken said.

“But it won’t be long till the planet sends a distress call for all Shadow Exchange operatives to return.” Thane said.

“We have that covered.” Alexander said.

All of the ships went into hyperspeed leaving a few defense fleets to remain on Turvess.

While they was in hyperspeed, Hide looked over to Stolas who was staring at a wall, thinking.

“We will get her back safe and sound.” Hide said.

Stolas remained silent.

Hide looked back out the cockpit window for a moment before looking over to Thane.

“So who is the leader of the Shadow Exchange anyway?” Hide asked.

“A greedy man who doesn’t care about lives and only profit.” Thane said.

“That it?” Hide asked.

“All I know.” Thane said.

“I wonder why they aren’t concerned about the Aparoid invasion.” Kugo said.

A few minutes later.

“We’re ready to exit hyperspeed.” Karura told everyone.

Leaving out of hyperspeed was two Geth Dreadnoughts that soaked up incoming defense cannon fire from the Shadow Exchange’s orbiting platforms.

Then Raloi, Federation, Volus, Turian, Quarian, and other vessels left hyperspeed and immediately unloaded starfighters.

There was sixteen Shadow Exchange frigates patrolling nearby and headed their way.

“What are those things?” Ken asked looking at the Hyperspace rings that orbited the planet.

“Those are hyperspace rings that can take the Shadow Exchange anywhere without a problem, think of it like teleporting.” Thane said.

“That can come in handy for heading to the Aparoid Queen.” Alexander said on the intercom.

A few Alexandrian robots dispatched and headed to the distant orbiting Hyperspace rings.

“We will take them back to Turvess while you deal with the Shadow Exchange.” Alexander said.

“Be careful then!” Hide shouted on the intercom.

The space battle began while the Last Resort flew down to the planet with sixteen Raloi frigates beside them and two squadrons of Federation starfighters.

One of the Geth Dreadnoughts let out a barrage of laser fire at the incoming Shadow Exchange cruisers to get their attention and sure enough, it did.

Down on the planet, Valentino was watching his tv screen with footage of what was going on in space and he just smirked.

“No mercy, kill them all.” Valentino ordered on the comlink.

“We will bring in all forces to the planet.” A man said back on the comlink.

Several minutes later, different fleets of Shadow Exchange ships come out of hyperspeed and head to attack the Federation.

Thane was looking at the transmissions on the screen and looked over to the group.

“Shadow Exchange is sending reinforcements, we have to find where the boss is.” Thane said.

The Last Resort flew over the neon-lighted city and landed on a roof with two starfighters flying by attacking a Shadow Exchange transport.

Karura stepped out first and without looking, she threw her lightsaber hilt to the right and activated it with the force.

Her lightsaber returned back to her hand and they heard two bodies drop.

“Two assassins was waiting for us, saw their shadows before we landed.” Karura said.

Thane kept low while looking through his scope and looked to the group.

“Alleyway, go. I will stay up on vantage points.” Thane said.

Everyone leaped down to the alleyway and on their way they killed two Shadow Exchange mercenaries and they headed down the street while picking off more.

“Where would she be?” Hide questioned.

Stolas looked on his device.

“She’s just a mile east.” Stolas said.

The group headed that way and found a building with the Shadow Exchange logo in the front.

“That must be it, the headquarters.” Ken said.

There was over fifty Shadow Exchange mercenaries in the front with two hovering small flying units pacing around.

“Scourge, think we could take them?” Ken asked.

“Too many, I see some with grenade launchers.” Scourge said.

Stolas walked past them.

“Stolas- Stolas!” Ken whispered loudly.

Stolas walked out into the street and he was noticed.

“Look at this boys, the former Tyrant himself.” One merc said to the others with a laugh.

“My daughter.” Stolas said angrily.

Stolas’ book floated behind him and glowed while Stolas’ hands glowed.

“Fire!” One merc shouted.

Stolas’ eyes widened and through the red pupilless eyes was in fact a glowing pupil from within and every mercenary turned into stone with the two flying armored vehicles falling into the front of the building making an opening.

Stolas kept walking forward and soon was running into the building.

“He could do that!?” Everyone shouted in shock, even Thane who was far off watching through his scope.

“Do you not know how many times we could of needed that ability- ugh nevermind let’s go help him!” Ken said.

Ken and the others walked into the headquarters and found it already burning in blue and purple flames by Stolas’ magic.

“Damn he’s pissed.” Kugo said.

Thane noticed a stairway and headed toward it.

“I will go down, the rest of you go elsewhere. We can cover more ground if we split up.” Thane said as he headed down.

“You heard him, we need to spread out.” Ken said.

Everyone went off in a different direction and meanwhile, Thane made it to the prison cells.

“Octavia, are you here?” Thane loudly whispered.

“Thane, Thane it’s a trap!” Octavia shouted from in the room.

Vern leaped out and aimed her pistol at Thane shooting at him.

Thane got shot twice in the chest but he kept on fighting with a bash of his elbow into Vern’s face knocking her back.

Vern licked her bloody lip and aimed her gun again while Thane aimed his at the same time and their bullets collided and immediately after they went into a fist to fist combat.

“Thane, the device that’s glowing! I’m next to it! Shatter it quickly!” Octavia shouted.

Thane noticed the device and Octavia in the far jail cell.

“You won’t dare!” Vern shouted.

Vern opened her mouth and sent out a supersonic boom that knocked Thane back into the wall behind him.

Thane immediately aimed his rifle at Vern but then turned and aimed it at the device shooting it making it disable it’s neuro ability.

Octavia’s magic abilities came back to her and she bent the iron bars and broke them off and threw them toward Vern who leaned back away from them and they spiked into the wall beside her.

While Vern had her attention on Octavia, Thane took this moment and shot Vern’s shoulder which was powerful enough to blow her right arm off.

“Damn you, Drell!” Vern shouted at Thane.

“Damn you!” Octavia yelled running at her.

Octavia pushed herself on Vern knocking Vern’s head into the two barks that spiked into the wall, killing her.

Octavia took a deep breath and walked over to Thane.

Thane was sitting on the floor clutching his chest.

“Thane, I’m sorry.” Octavia said.

“It’s fine, you need to hurry upstairs and find your father.” Thane said grunting.

“I’m staying here to help you.” Octavia said.

Octavia waved her hand over his chest and created a healing magic to slowly repair his wounds while using her other hand to pull the bullets out with her wind magic.

“Mom is…” Octavia said and teared up.

“I know, I’m sorry.” Thane said.

“I can’t believe this has happened so quickly. My father and mother fighting, divorce, invasion, she died. I don’t know why all of this is happening.” Octavia said wiping her eyes with her arm.

“Octavia, life can be difficult. Trust me, I know. I haven’t spoken to my son for five years.” Thane said.

“You have a son?” Octavia asked.

“Yes, he and I never seen eye to eye on things, and one day I shouted words that I didn’t mean and walked away. I tried to contact him but he never responded.” Thane said.

“What happened between you two that was so heated?” Octavia asked.

Thane sighed.

“I used to work for the Shadow Exchange.” Thane said.

Octavia was surprised.

“My son told me how I was nothing but a killer like the rest of them. The reason I tried to contact him was that he was right. I was thinking about myself in the need of money instead of the wrong that I thought was right.” Thane said.

“Is that how you was able to help everyone come here?” Octavia asked.

“I gave them as much information as I could but, I didn’t want them to think I was a bad man.” Thane said.

“But you aren’t a bad man. You’re our friend.” Octavia said with a smile.

Thane nodded with a smile back.

Octavia helped Thane to his feet and he reloaded his rifle.

“We need to find Valentino, the leader of the Shadow Exchange.” Thane said.

Thane checked a bag.

“I brought some thermal detonators to blow that thick vault door that leads to his secure room.” Thane said.

“Or we use a security card to get in?” Octavia said.

Octavia brought out a security card from Vern’s body.

“But I want to blow something up?” Thane said.

“How about we blow this building sky-high after we kill the bastard.” Octavia said.

Hide ran down the stairs.

“Oh thank god you’re okay.” Hide said.

Octavia gave him a smile.

“You two stay behind me okay? I will take front.” Thane said and lead on with his rifle aimed.

Upstairs on the second floor, Scourge was trying to open the vault door with his lightsaber but it wasn’t cutting through.

“That’s a cortosis door, no way are we getting in that way.” Kugo said.

“How about you keep your opinions to yourself.” Scourge growled.

“Or maybe you should step aside!” Noi shouted behind them.

Kugo turned around and frowned holding up his claymore while Scourge held out his lightsaber.

“Oh? Wanting to look menacing huh?” Noi said sarcastically with a wide grin.

“Cocky bastard aren’t yah?” Kugo said.

Scourge used the force to force pull Noi but Noi clapped his hands together creating a surge of wind to blast him back and he opened his mouth letting out a blaze of fire that scorched the floor in front of them.

Kugo brought up his claymore and used it as a shield to block the incoming flames while Scourge knelt down behind Kugo as the two slowly walked toward Noi who was continuing his dragon-like breath of fire.

Noi noticed it wasn’t working and closed his mouth before clapping his hands again making a surge of wind to knock both of them back.

“You two are annoying little buggers aren’t you!” Noi said licking his lips.

Scourge ran at him and swung his lightsaber toward him but Noi grabbed Scourge’s wrist and punched him in the jaw.

However, Noi immediately yelled in pain as his knuckles was broken by Scourge’s strong jaw.

Scourge just grinned and grabbed his neck while Kugo walked up spinning his claymore and turning around slicing off Noi’s head.

Scourge threw the body down and looked at Kugo with a nod.

“So you must be a thick head after all.” Kugo said with a grin.

Scourge sized him up making Kugo quickly anxious and Scourge went back to trying to open the door.

“Need help?” Hide asked.

“No, I do not!” Scourge shouted.

Thane walked up putting the security card in front of the scanner and the vault began to open up.

Scourge gave Thane a very mean serious look as if his pride was wiped out in a blink of an eye.

“We can discuss strength versus intelligence later, for now, we have someone to kill.” Thane said.

“Where’s Ken, Karura, Eto, and dad?” Octavia asked.

“I have no idea.” Scourge said.

They entered the office but no one was there.

“Uh oh.” Hide said.

Ken and Eto looked around through a dark room while Stolas and Karura was behind them making sure nothing came from the flank.

They walked over a few mercenary bodies that they killed and found a roof access door where a shuttle was ready to leave.

“No, you don’t!” Stolas shouted.

Stolas used his magic to bring the shuttle down and leaping from it before it crashed and exploded was the Shadow Exchange leader, Valentino.

Ken and Eto ran at Valentino who just stood there watching them with a grin on his face.

“Wait!” Karura shouted.

Valentino clicked a button on a small handheld device and suddenly a surge of lightning came from him and zapped both Ken and Eto to the side of the roof, knocking them both out.

“He has a shield disruptor.” Karura said.

Stolas held both his hands out while his book opened behind him and he sent a current of dark pulses at Valentino trying to break that shield.

Karura activated her lightsaber and dashed at Valentino with a lunge of her blade trying to pierce through his shield and it started to work while Stolas’ dark pulses kept going.

Valentino’s grin faded and he jumped up while his shield shattered.

Valentino dropped his device and revealed his moth wings that sprung out of his outfit and he flew in the air looking down at them.

“I cannot believe with all this effort, you came just to kill me.” Valentino said to Stolas.

“You kidnapped my daughter!” Stolas shouted.

“Then you shouldn’t have stopped being a Tyrant.” Valentino said.

“The other Tyrants are dead, you didn’t need to do this since your clients aren’t able to pay you.” Karura said taking a few steps forward.

“You don’t get it, do you doll? The Federation has always been my enemy and seeing how everyone is over your homeworld, that makes you a fine bounty world. Each Federation officer is worth ten thousand credits a piece. You’re holding a gold mine for me, Stolas.” Valentino said.

“You can have anything you want, I just want my daughter free and safe.” Stolas said.

Valentino put his finger up to his comlink in his ear.

“Noi, Vern. Kill the girl.” Valentino said as his grin widened.

Stolas yelled running at him but suddenly Valentino frowned.

“Noi? Vern? Where are you?” Valentino asked.

Stolas leaped in the air and managed to punch Valentino in mid-air knocking him to the ground.

Valentino rolled up to his feet and fluttered off the ground.

“Noi! Vern! Answer me at once!” Valentino shouted.

Suddenly they all heard screeching in the sky and saw twelve Aparoid Moths.

Valentino threw the comlink away and yelled in anger.

“Look what you did, you managed to bring them here with all the commotion!” Valentino said.

Karura leaped at Valentino but Valentino surprised her by sending out a poisonous wind from his wings that made her cough and fall to her knees to focus on her breathing.

Stolas patted her head and sent a magical power to heal her but she fell over passed out.

Valentino tried to send the same poisonous wind at Stolas who quickly put his hands out and created a magical shield that vaporized the powdered poison and then a magic ability to bring down one of the neon lights on a roof down at Valentino who quickly flew away from it.

Stolas created ice crystals to grow on Valentino’s wings and then shot out a rocky cluster into Valentino’s back to break his wings right off.

Valentino yelled painfully and the two immediately got into a fistfight.

The two twelve-foot tall beings brawled but Valentino having four arms was winning and managed to knock Stolas to the floor of the roof.

Stolas punched Valentino’s glasses making them shatter into his eyes and making him yell and roll off of Stolas.

Stolas opened two magical portals on each side of Valentino and pushed them together and out the other side exploding his body into nothing but blood.

Stolas sighed falling to his butt and looked at the sky seeing the Aparoids invading.

Ken and Eto walked over to him.

“Stolas.” Ken said.

“You guys go, I have to find Octavia.” Stolas said.

“But I’m right here.” Octavia said.

Stolas sprang up and ran to Octavia hugging her.

“Dad.” Octavia said with her face in his chest as tears ran down her face.

“Via, oh Via!” Stolas said happily with tears.

Karura got up and saw the Last Resort flying to them and landing on the roof.

Thane beckoned them and Hide ran out from the entry door.

“Come on, the fleets are retreating back to Turvess!” Hide shouted.

“The Shadow Exchange leader is dead which means they are out of the war.” Kugo said.

As everyone was walking into the Last Resort, they heard a loud screech and they saw in the sky a missile coming down with twelve Aparoids creating a strange hexagon dome that sprawled around the city.

“What is going on?” Hide asked.

“They’re keeping all of us in to make sure we die from the explosion.” Ken said.

“Oh my god.” Kugo said.

Stolas looked at all of them and then looked down to Octavia who looked up at him in tears and shook her head.

“Don’t.” Octavia said.

“I must.” Stolas said.

Stolas handed Octavia his grimoire.

“No please, no!” Octavia said.

“Ken, get her and yourselves out of here.” Stolas said.

“There has to be another way.” Scourge said.

“There is no other way. Go, now.” Stolas said.

“No, I’m not leaving you!” Octavia shouted.

Ken pulled Octavia into the ship with Scourge picking her up off her feet and carrying her inside.

“No! Dad no!” Octavia shouted.

Stolas gave her a smile and wave with tears coming down his face.

The Last Resort lifted off into the sky and Stolas looked up at the missile coming down and the Aparoids creating the hexagon dome.

Stolas raised his hands up and opened a cosmic portal but it didn’t seem to suck them in as they was fighting against the gravity, even the missile was still on course.

“So it comes to this.” Stolas sighed.

Stolas held his hands out to the missile and held it in mid-air while yelling in pain as to how much spiritual energy he was using by doing this.

The Aparoid Moths had no choice but to stop their dome ability and fly down to stop Stolas.

“Dome is gone!” Karura shouted.

The Last Resort left and entered hyperspeed right when they reached orbit.

Stolas smiled seeing the speck of light, knowing they made it out.

One Aparoid Moth flew down with its large head looking at him while the other eleven was surrounding him.

“Organic nuisance.” The Aparoid said charging its solar beam.

“Stupid insect.” Stolas said.

Stolas lowered his arms and let the missile continue its course and the Aparoid Moths completely forgetting about it were obliterated along with Stolas from the impact.

The blast was seen from space by other Aparoid Moths and they headed down to the planet to see what was left to destroy, or harvest.

That evening…

Everyone was back on Turvess in what was left of the Garden of the palace and there was a signpost for a statue of Stolas to be placed there.

Ken looked at the signpost with Eto and the others as they finished their mourning.

“I should check on Octavia.” Ken said.

“I’ll come with you.” Eto said.

“I think too many people will make her nervous, let me just see if she wants anyone to see her.” Ken said.

“Alright, I’ll be in the hall.” Eto said.

The two walked to Octavia’s room where a few Palace maids was standing outside the room in a guarding stance and only glanced at them.

Eto sat down on a hallway couch and Ken approached.

“May I see her?” Ken asked.

The maid was about to answer but the door opened a crack.

“Come in.” Octavia said.

Ken walked in as Octavia sat down on a chair with a sigh.

“I cried enough I think.” Octavia said.

“You can cry as much as you want.” Ken said.

“Thank you. But I know right now isn’t the time for sorrow and a time to stop the Aparoid Queen. I just can’t believe he’s gone and now I am to be Queen. I wasn’t ready for this.” Octavia said.

Octavia put her head down between her knee’s and Ken stayed silent thinking about what to say before walking up to her and sat down on the floor.

“I’m not ready.” Octavia said.

“We can help you out after the war.” Ken said.

“But won’t you all have your own lives?” Octavia asked.

“Well I know I can’t speak for everyone but I don’t think we’ll have any jobs so, perhaps being your assistants can be a start.” Ken said.

Octavia wiped her tears away and smiled at him.

“Thank you Ken. Eto is lucky to have a guy like you.” Octavia said.

“I’m lucky to have her, it’s just a shame that when-” Ken began to say.

“When this is over, I’ll permit her to my Kingdom so that she doesn’t face her trial.” Octavia said.

“You can do that?” Ken asked.

Octavia nodded.

“She will have to stay here though and not off-world.” Octavia said.

“Then I guess that’s more a reason for me to stay as your lifetime assistant.” Ken said.

Octavia gave him a nod.

“Then I’ll happily accept both of you to my Palace of royalty.” Octavia said with a smile.

Ken gave her a smile back.

“It’s best you guys get some rest because tomorrow we are going to take the fight to the Queen.” Octavia said.

“Octavia is there something I could ask of you?” Ken asked.

“Anything.” Octavia said.

“Remember that orb that we spoke about?” Ken asked.

“The one that grants you wishes until your dead?” Octavia asked.

“That’s the one.” Ken said.

“What about it?” Octavia asked.

“When this war is over, and if we win, can you help us find it so we can destroy it? We believe it’s a dangerous threat that has done nothing but cause chaos throughout history.” Ken said.

“I thought Kugo said two investigators took it to Coruscant?” Octavia asked.

“He and I think something must of went wrong and now we have to make sure it’s gone.” Ken said.

“Then after the war, we search for this orb.” Octavia said.

The two gave each other a handshake but then they gave one another a hug.

“Will you be okay?” Ken asked.

“Yeah.” Octavia said.

Ken left her room and walked over to Eto telling her what was said and Eto smiled and gave a wave to Octavia who waved back with a smile.

Octavia closed her door and walked over to a picture of her and her father and smiled holding it close to her chest.

“I will be okay.” Octavia said.

Meanwhile, Kugo was looking at the list of virus dosed missiles for each starfighter with missile capabilities and a few extra canisters if they found the Aparoid Queen on foot.

Kugo looked over to see Brute Justice helping with one of the capsules into a missile.

“What happened to the hyperspace rings that was over the Shadow Exchange planet?” Kugo asked.

“We are getting them prepared to head to the Thule system. The Shadow Exchange created those rings for immediate travel, it acts as a teleportation ability. We have found a way to link it to the Thule System and we should get there in less than a minute when we enter the ring.” Brute Justice said.

“That’s crazy. I like it.” Kugo said.

“The fleets are mobilizing, you should rest. We will patrol the skies and orbit.” Brute Justice said.

“Thanks, bud.” Kugo said walking off.

Brute Justice was surprised to hear that.

“Organic, wait.” Brute Justice said.

Kugo turned around cocking an eyebrow.

“Thank you for trusting us and allowing us to help.” Brute Justice said.

“No problem. You guys are just as alive as we are.” Kugo said.

Kugo gave him a wave and walked off leaving Brute Justice to ponder for a moment before he went back to work.

“Thank you, bud.” Brute Justice said to himself.

Nearby, Ken and Eto walked out of the palace to one of the balconies looking over the city nearby.

“I’m lucky to have you.” Ken said.

Eto smiled and leaned against him.

“Want to play a game?” Eto asked.

“Chess?” Ken asked.

“A new game. One that starts tomorrow. We count how many Aparoids we kill and whoever has the highest score, wins a little prize.” Eto said whispering into his ear seductively.

“What’s the prize?” Ken asked.

“Anything you want.” Eto said huffing into his ear.

Ken looked a bit nervous but gave in and put his arms around her.

“Then I’m sure as hell going to win.” Ken said.

“We shall see.” Eto said teasingly.

The two kissed a few times before looking back at the city for a moment.

“Hey you two, we should get some early sleep. I think Thane got us some medicine to take to help us rest.” Kugo said to them from the balcony entrance.

“Coming!” Ken said.

Ken and Eto followed Kugo and the three just chatted as they headed off inside.

Meanwhile…

In a dark planet with one side being filled with scattered green eerie dots but the other side was being terraformed in some strange glowing substance with a large hole that could be seen from space being covered with holographic hexagons was the Aparoid Queen herself, floating into the hole and into the planet’s core.

The Aparoid Queen’s body was covered in metal shelling with extra shelling around her head and wings.

“All for us, everything in this universe exists for us.” The Aparoid Queen said.