“Tell future-Captain Leotrim, to come catch me if he can." That was the last thing Valon heard from his friend for twelve years.

The man moved on slowly returning to the academy and then accepting his position as Captain of the Maltese a year later. Valon was surprised to find after a while his friend was no longer constantly in his thoughts. Even reports of the notorious Captain Bram Amberden could shake him, from his path. He had also made a name for himself.

With time Valon was no longer the immature and fearful young man of his past. He stood tall before the vast expanse of space and led his men into the blackness.

Within the first year Captain Valon Leotrim had lead his men to discover two new planets, creating new treaties and adding to the Alliance’s power. He sailed all over the known galaxy arresting fugatives, and bringing war lords to justice. The Alliance constantly was holding Gala’s in his honor and sending him awards and honors. But none of it meant anything until he met Nathan.

The young biologist had literally fallen into his lap while Valon and his men were exploring a supposedly abandon planet. It wasn’t love at first sight by any means, but after the captain had saved the younger man from cannibalistic natives, a black hole couldn’t have torn the two apart. They spent a year first as collogues when Nathan joined his crew becoming the lead science officer. Then as lovers and after 6 months together Valon had knelt in front of the beloved man and asked the man to marry him. They were wed before the month was out, Valon’s mother performing the ceremony and binding the two men together.

The bliss lasted for two years. A month after their second wedding anniversary The Maltese was attacked. Valon had never faced an enemy so brutal, so merciless; the Klarkian warriors ran through the ship like a plague slaughtering all in their paths. Valon stood with his men and women fighting valiantly, but the battle was over within an hour. Over 70% of the crew was slaughtered and the rest were captured to be sold as slaves.

Among the dead was Valon’s beloved husband. The Klarkian Commander had taken the time to torture and murder the human in front of his mate before slitting the man’s throat, staining Valon’s already ruined uniform with the blood of his mate. Twelve Klarkian soldiers were dead at his hands before they could subdue him again.

The next six years of the young captain’s life would be that of a slave.
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Valon sat near the back of his cell, the smell of unwashed slaves and filth hung heavy in the air. The large thick shock collar weighed heavy around his neck. It was a familiar weight; one that the Half-Kaftrigain had become accustom to after a few years under the lash. He was up for auction again, his last master using him to settle a gambling debt.

He had never stopped fighting through his imprisonment. The scares of numerous punishments littered his body, a particularly nasty scar ran from the base of his ear to his chest, leaving a thick line of tissue. The captain was long gone, replaced by the hollow shell of a man once known as Valon Leotrim.

From his cell Valon heard the tell-tale heavy foot steps of his masters followed by a lighter step. His powerful sense hearing told him that the second set of footsteps belonged to a noble of the area, to soft and graceful to be anyone else. A loud clang against the bars as the slave master hit the cage shocked him from his thoughts. “Stand Maggot! Present yourself.”

Valon glared then spat in the direction of the Klarkian, smiling when he heard the sound of his spittle connecting. The alien cursed then hit the button sending a shock down the slaves spine. Valon gritted his teeth, unwilling to give the bastard the satisfaction of hearing him scream. He gasped when the pain ended, trying to hold himself upright. “I said get up slave!”

The former-captain obeyed this time although slowly. He stood near the bars looking down at the floor in the required pose. Rich perfume filled his nostrils, Definitely a noble. Many were corrupt leaders of the planet and others politicians visiting the only planet in the system that still traded in flesh on a large scale.

“Exquisite…it’s a half breed Kaftrigian isn’t it?” A accented voice reached his ears.

“Yes milord.” The slaver answered. The noble hummed in plesure, before poking the underside of Valon’s chin.

“Show me your eyes slave.” Valon lifted his head ignoring the pain the man dug his cane into his neck. “Oh yes…you will do nicely.” The cane traveled down to his groin lifting his loin cloth and exposing his neither regions. The noble traced the object back up his stomach. It was too much, Valon ripped the cane from the man’s hands and broke the stick in half, throwing it back a the man. The noble laughed as Valon was punished with a painful shock bringing the slave to his knees.

The noble leaned forward, “You’ll receive more punishment than that, when you are mine…I will enjoy breaking you. Starting with a gelding I think.” The man turned away laughing. Valon lay on the dirty floor of his cell trying to move past the pain and hoping that the Goddess would let him die before he fell into the hands of that man.
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The auction of Slave #2215 was held with in the hour. Valon blinked at the sun, trying to adjust from the darkness in the slave hold. His hands were bound to his collar by a large chain, another set was attached to his feet preventing him from running. The slavers pushed and pulled him onto a large stage facing the out door market.

“Our next item up for bid is a Half breed male slave. A Kaftrigain…very rare ladies and gentlemen. Still young and strong, good teeth too. He has been used and is considered a fighter. Shall we start the bidding at 150 credits.” Valon noted that the auctioneer had started low. Hoping to get rid of his damaged hide quickly. “Ah yes, we have 150 from Lord Jeron, thank you sir do I hear 175, anyone…175?”

Valon could see the noble smirking at him, the man licked his lips, making the slave turn his gaze away as he scanned the crowd a head of beautiful dark chocolate curls caught his eye. He looked at the man’s face, Bram!

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