As always, Grimjack didn’t go through with it. They were frustrating, but they were still the Council of Grundoks for a reason. He still thought the job was asinine, but he was a professional and he would try and get it done. After he left, he made sure to take the long way back to his ship. He really didn’t want to run into Tor again. Seeing his sister’s husband was awkward enough, but it was made worse with how friendly he was. Why couldn’t he just accept that their family had split and wouldn’t be getting back together again? Luckily enough, he managed to leave without incident.

As he settled into a cryo catnap, he thought about what all was being asked of him. So of course his mind drifted back to the Council. Not just that he thought this mission was a fool’s errand, but also how they kept denying his requisitions for more firepower. Even for this mission, all he requested was an Arakonian fire scythe, but it was immediately denied. They seemed to think, despite the only updates coming from his own personal funds, that his current arsenal was, “more than capable.”

“They only think what I have is good enough because I can do so well with such substandard weapons.” Grimjack grumbled to himself as he sat in his small ship. “They always push body modifications, but never seem to think about other upgrades. If I didn’t get myself new equipment, I’d probably still just have a battle ri…”

Beep beep beep beep!

Grimjack’s senses went on high alert as the all-purpose alarm went off. Steam hissed as a variety of tubes and wires disconnected from his armor. He leaned forward in his cramped space and activated the AR controls. An orange array of lights and controls surrounded him as the alarm continued to ring.

It didn’t take long for him to ascertain the reason for the emergency. A Torellian battleship was in horde space nearby. This was just the break he needed. Of course, they couldn’t get upset at him for delaying his current mission for such an emergency. After all, it wasn’t every day that they got invaded.

The Torellians were one of the many enemies of the horde, but they didn’t tend to attack unless they were certain they would win. Which was odd with how big and brutish they looked. One glance at them and your mind would think they were nothing more than meatheads. With them averaging eight feet tall with broad shoulders, and massive limbs. They even had long prehensile tendrils along their chins. With pitch black eyes and dark violet skin, they seemed perfectly at home in space, or in their oddly smooth starships. People joked that they took eggs and had the strongest of them throw them into space. Of course, the Torellians used these assumptions to their advantage. Playing up being dumb brutes when their tactical abilities were their real strength.

Grimjack had fought against them a few times. They’d all been close calls, but generally they had trouble responding to his raw aggression and how fast he could go from one fight to the next. He figured this would be a good way to catch them off guard and cause some havoc which would no doubt lead to them retreating to regroup and make a new plan.

He was sure this would be the easiest way to deal with them. So, he increased the energy to his engines, and went to change directions so he could punch his ship through their shields and into their hull.

“Wait, that’s not right,” he grumbled as his ship refused to respond to his controls.

Beep beep beep beep!

A separate alarm went off as an image popped up on his view screen. It was Gorgi, a mechanic from the horde station. He was a square green creature who had the left half of his face covered in various metal plates that vaguely resembled what a face should look like. Grimjack was grateful they had moved to outsourcing by the time he got his body modifications done.

“Looks like someone was tryin’ ta go off course.”

“Gorgi, just the guy I was hoping to see.”

“Yeh? I doubt that Grimjack.”

“No, because you see,” Grimjack slammed his fist into the wall and snarled at him. “I like to see the face of people when they sabotage me. It helps me remember what I’ll be smashing in later.”

Gorgi snorted and didn’t seem at all worried. “Only followin orders. Yins got a one-way ticket now.”

“What in the Seven Realms are you talking about?”

“Yer on a priority one mission from ta council.” Gorgi shook his head. “It’s marked more important than even the station’s survival.”

“That’s insane! I’m just delivering their idiotic letter to Santa or something!”

Gorgi had a look of understanding dawn on him. “Ah, I see. Well, whatever ta case. Yer ship’s controls are fried. It’ll get ya to yer stop but won’t work after that.”

“What!” Grimjack slammed his fist against the wall several more times as he cried out in frustration. “Couldn’t you have just locked the controls until I was done?”

Gorgi smirked as he shook his head. “Nah. Yer life is a fair trade fer a job like the one ya got.”

“That’s swamp gas and you know it! I’m the best asset the horde has!”

Gorgi’s face turned serious for a moment. “Aye, and this job ye have is more important than all that. Don’t screw us on this Grimjack. Deliver yer package to tha big guy no matter what.”

As the connection terminated, the AR controls around Grimjack fizzled out and faded. With a primal roar he punched the viewing window and left a small crack. In a frustrated huff he sat back down in his seat.

“Computer, depressurize the chamber and transfer environmental controls to my suit.”

The wires that had disconnected earlier slowly came back and reconnected to his suit. He thought that it was good that he could at least do this much still. As he tried to calm himself down, the main console started to blink. Unprompted, Gorgi came back on the view screen.

“Oh, before I forget. I got ye a lil gift. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas.”

With another smirk, Gorgi’s face disappeared. Then it hit him. Grimjack’s eyes under his advanced sensor helmet grew wide. That phrase, it was like a bomb going off. He knew exactly what it meant, but before he could move, a series of shocks went through his armor.

“That sundrian sea slug! He planned for this!”

His armor went into diagnosis and repair mode as the console lit up. It started with the quiet bells and then…

“I-I-I-I-I don’t want a lot for Christmas.

There is just one thing I-I need."

“NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!” Grimjack cried in despair as the ancient Christmas classic, Mariah Carey’s, All I Want for Christmas is You, started playing, and he was forced to lie there, completely helpless. All while the Torellians got further and further into horde space.