After a good torture session with her slaves, Lady Necralia felt a lot better. She washed off in her bath before returning to her throne room.

As she walked in, the Death Troopers lined up along the walls snapped to attention with a chorus of footsteps that she always loved. She walked down the red carpet up to her throne where she found her Grand Vizier waiting for her, along with her two finest military commanders.

The larger commander was General Worr, a huge Voloxx who looked like he was made of gray rock. The smaller commander was General Rath'kil, a thin Aeron with a feathered bird-like body. The two served as her military cabinet along with General Deth, and commanded her armies while helping to form strategy.

They all bowed as she mounted the steps.

The Grand Vizier spoke. "Your majesty, we have received a message from Captain Jokah. She wishes to report her progress on the mission."

Lady Necralia settled into her throne with a sigh. "Excellent. Connect us."

The Grand Vizier tapped on his tablet's screen.

A hologram swirled into existence in front of the throne. It took on the form of the slender blue woman in a black bikini that she recognized as Captain Jokah.

The blue-skinned pirate smiled and waved. "Well, hello, your ladyship. You got my message?"

For a moment, Lady Necralia clenched her fists. She expected to be treated as the royal terror she was, and the pirate's informal tone irritated her. Still, Jokah had a high level of success that almost made up for it.

"Indeed." Lady Necralia formed a steeple with her fingers. "You have the first gem?"

Jokah pointed a finger at her. "Abso-fucking lutely. We're cracking the code right now to head for the next location."

Necralia drummed her fingers on the arms of her throne. "So far, you're earning the extraordinary amount of money we're paying you. I expect to hear you have the second gem within the next few hours."

Jokah waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, totally, your majesty. We'll get your gems and the treasure. Just wanna make sure our deal is still on, love."

Necralia bowed her head. "Absolutely. You can have the treasure. I just want the weapon."

"Spot on. We'll get back on it. Cheers."

When Jokah vanished, Rath'kil bowed her head. "Your glorious majesty, I humbly pray you forgive my intrusion, but I still fail to see the benefit of hiring these pirates. We could easily have sent a thousand squadrons to retrieve the gems."

General Worr clenched his fists. "Let us spill blood until the weapon is ours."

Lady Necralia waved them away. "We could, but it hardly seems worth using my armies for a single weapon. The pirates give us some distance. They're also expendable. If they fail, nothing lost. If they succeed, we get the weapon. And with the weapon, we will crush the Galaxy under my boot."

She slammed a boot down, cracking the leg bone that served as a brace for her foot.

The Grand Vizier bowed. "A bold plan, your majesty."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, and when this is over, if she's still alive, kill her. What about Byron Jones?"

The Grand Vizier looked down at his tablet nervously. She didn't blame him, since she had killed the last Grand Vizier who gave her too much bad news. "The last report for General Deth is that we're still trying to locate him."

She clenched her gloved claws into a fist. "Find him. I want him here now."

"Yes, your majesty." He hurried away.

She turned in her throne to look out at the stars again. She didn't feel as safe as she usually did. Jones made her feel something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Fear.