Snippet #1148772

The Stygian Gates
The Ghoul Stars
Rimward Trailing, Milky Way

Urisian huffed to himself, fidgeting in his command dais. He rested the side of his head in a gauntleted hand, resting his elbow upon the armrest of his throne. He was bored beyond reason.

"Fetch me another," he sighed. "One that wont break so easily this time."

A human slave rushed over from the shadows and proceeded to drag the messy remains of one of her fellows from the glassy black surface that spread out before the Archon's dais, leaving a trail of red behind them.

For the past month Urisian and his crew had been stationed at the Stygian Gates on a glorified sentry duty. Urisian reasoned this was an obvious snub by the Widowmaker - an obvious and demeaning slight in repayment for what was described as a "paltry offering at best" when last he brought a tribute of slaves before the Tyrant of Dis. This posting was far beneath the station for one such as Urisian - he was the Pirate Prince of the Ghoul Stars!

The insult still grated on him, and his various entertainments could not take the edge of the supreme boredom he was feeling. The numbing boredom was so intense he had taken to prodding needles into the soft flesh under his long black fingernails in an effort to feel something.

"Dread Archon," one of the bridge crew rasped. "I have something."

"What?" snapped Urisian impatiently. "Quickly."

"A signal, my lord" the crewman said, his face lit a ruddy shade of red from the console he poured over. "Some manner of automated scout-vessel."

"What is it's purpose?" Urisian asked, leaning foreward in his throne.

"From what I can gather," the crewman said. "Whoever built it are attempting to gain contact with other sentient species."

Urisian grinned and ran his tongue over teeth that were filed into points.

"Your orders, Dread Archon?" the crewman asked.

"Transmit a message," Urisian said.

"What shall it say, my lord?"

A malicious glint caught in Urisians abyssal eyes.

"Pray we dont take you alive..."