Sorry for the delay. I've been very busy with other things. I'm hoping to get a good leeway in the story so that I won't be leaving all of you waiting for the next chapter for months and months. This one is a short one that, while it seems irrelevant, will mean a lot later in the story.

Again, thanks for reading and send reviews my way! Me likey reviews!

Interlude A

A Distant Planet
July 2013, Earth time

Jakobb crouched behind a boulder, waiting for his prey to bring himself within attack distance. He'd gotten very good at successfully bringing down rivals in this hell; it was the only way one could survive. Resources were limited, which meant that the law of the land truly was survival of the fittest. To Jakobb, the fittest meant not necessarily the physically strongest, but the most cunning and clever, the ones who understood their environment and adapted to it as necessary. In this case, his prey had a thick coat on him and winter was about to set in, making the days and nights colder than the normal moderate temperatures of summer. If a person wasn't prepared, they could easily freeze to death during the first snowfall. Jakobb had already gone through one winter on this hell of a planet and barely survived it. He intended to be fully prepared this year.

He looked on his prey with a hint of trepidation but a great deal of anticipation. While the Grintari was strong and dangerous face-to-face, it had an Achilles' heal very similar to a Sontaran. A precisely placed blade into the back of the neck would temporarily paralyze the beast. The biggest issue with Grentarii was that they healed very quickly, which meant that Jakobb would then have to act quickly to kill the beast before getting the items he needed off of its dead body.

The moment his prey was in sight, Jakobb drew his blade and jumped on his back, stabbing him accurately in spite of the Grintari struggling to get the attacker off its back. An agonized scream escaped the wounded creatures lips as he tumbled to the ground, paralyzed from the blow. Jakobb turned him over.

"Stop!" the alien screamed, terror on its face. "I'm not your enemy! The masters are!"

"Yeah, well, the masters aren't here, are they? And I need a coat for the winter. No hard feelings," Jakobb told him, merciless in his intent. He brought his knife up, ready to kill. A moment later, however, Jakobb vanished in a bright white and purple light, leaving his victim lying on the ground, panting in an attempt to slow his racing heart.

A male humanoid ran down a nearby ridge towards the fallen alien, concern in his eyes.

"Ltrief! Are you all right?" he asked, dropping to check on the wound the Grintari had sustained.

"It will heal and I will soon walk again, thanks to you," the creature responded, its soft tones contradicting its foreboding appearance.

The male smiled sheepishly. He was relieved that the Grintari would be all right in the end but his expression showed there was more to the incident than the creature had supposed. "I wish I could take the credit, my friend. But it was a teleport that took the monster away. Which likely means he's with the Keeper."

Ltrief growled at the thought. "Then we must prepare. Jakobb was a terror in the Zone. If the Keeper is interested in making him one of his slaves, then the danger will increase. Help me up," it requested. "I am well enough to walk, though with great care, and I do need rest." Snarling, it allowed its sharp teeth to show its displeasure. "Great Goddess, Rega! We almost had the bastard!"

"You almost got yourself killed," Rega berated as he helped his friend to its feet. "I don't care if it was likely the only way to get to him, it was still too dangerous."

"Less dangerous than allowing him to continue down the path he had chosen, to pander to the masters' wishes than to fight against them as we have chosen to do." Ltrief looked on Rega with admiration. "You are very brave indeed to go against your own kind."

The humanoid's face grew dark but sad. "My kind do not enslave those not like them and force them to fight for their amusement. If my people can't see the truth in that, then I must make them see it." He breathed for a moment, the Grintari allowing him the silence he needed to collect his thoughts. "Come on," he finally said. "Let's get out of the Zone before they see through our perception filters. The last thing we need is for them to find out we can enter and exit the Zone freely. We'd never improve our ranks if that happens."

Together the two moved towards the ridge.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"No!" Jakobb exclaimed in anger, watching the Grintari disappear underneath him. "Damn it!" He slapped the surface below him, his thoughts focused on the fact that his winter coat he so desperately needed had just vanished from his sight. A moment later, however, he realized that the surface below him wasn't the familiar earth he'd tread on for nearly two years. Gone were the dust and rocks, a smooth flawless floor having taken its place. He remembered the odd sensation he'd experienced as the Grintari disappeared from sight and realization came to him.

"I've been teleported," he stated with surprise, raising his head to see that he was in a barren soft gray room. He remembered he had been in a similar room a couple of years before, just before being sent to hell. He gave a bitter laugh. "Maybe I've been pardoned." A pardon would mean that the person he'd wronged had forgiven him and he was seriously doubtful about that. It was a nice dream but he knew that the masters weren't so magnanimous.

It was several hours before the door to his cell – and that was exactly what he was in – opened, prompting him to stand. A well-robed man entered the room with the air of someone who was familiar with authority on his shoulders. He was of medium height with short dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. A handsome man, Jakobb noted, with whom he might have flirted a bit under different circumstances. The dark expression on the man's face told him, however, that such an advance would definitely be to his disadvantage. He knew he'd seen the man before but, for the moment, he couldn't recall where or when.

"Apelhe, Jakobb," the man greeted. His voice was beautifully elegant and yet showed that he knew how to control his surroundings with skill, including the people in his presence. "You are wondering why you are here, no doubt. You'd been in the Zone… what is it? Two years?"

"Nearly," Jakobb admitted, refusing to be intimidated by the person in front of him. Two years was a very long time on this planet, whose orbit was a great distance more from its suns than that of his home planet from her sun.

"And in that time, you've proven yourself quite resilient. His Most Venerated Imperial Majesty has had much amusement watching you. Quite engaging."

Jakobb glowered at the man. He knew that people fighting in the Zone and struggling to survive was the most watched entertainment on this planet but he never wanted to be a celebrity in that venue. Doing what you had to do to survive your life sentence was one thing; doing it because it entertained the masters was another. What he wanted to do at that very moment was to rip the smug expression off of this man's face, break out of his cell, and find the nearest spaceship to get himself off of this rock. Once he was in space, he'd get as far from the Empire's borders as he could and never even think of crossing them again, no matter what the possible monetary gain.

"But you are not here to act as the Emperor's court jester," the man continued. "His Majesty has found someone of far more interest to him, thus making you… well… passé. And passé means dead, most of the time. I've convinced him to allow me to make you an offer."

"And who the hell are you that the Emperor would allow you to make an offer to a convicted criminal?"

"I am the Keeper," the man responded, a knowing smile on his face. As he saw terrified recognition on Jakobb's face, his grin broadened. "Now you remember. Good. It comes in handy for both of us. I won't need to remind you of the consequences of defying me."

Jakobb shivered at the memory. Even now, two years later, he had nightmares of being tortured by this man which prompted him to confess not only to his own crimes but also to a few unsolved ones which were likely committed by members of the royal family. They had been minor in comparison to his but the added confessions only convinced the tribunal that he was guilty of more than he had confessed to, thus his sentence of imprisonment in the Zone.

"What is it that you want?" he questioned. "I won't confess to something I didn't do this time, no matter what you do to me." He hoped his words sounded far more bold than he actually felt.

The Keeper gave a slight laugh at his words. "You have indeed grown harder than you were before. That too is good. I don't want another slave begging for mercy over a broken glass. I want one that has your skills."

"You want me to be your slave?" came the incredulous response.

The Keeper took a breath and started to walk around him, speaking as he did so. "You will obey my every word but without all the groveling that all the other slaves seem to feel they must do and with the understanding that going too far may lead to very nasty consequences. If you prove to be reliable in the position I have for you, you will gain rewards and perhaps, over time, even a great deal of freedom. You'll never gain true freedom, of course. That isn't meant for Humans. But obedience to me may lead to as much freedom as is possible for an alien."

"So I just have to obey you and you'll do all that," Jakobb summarized with suspicion.

"Yes."

"And what is it that you want me to obey you at doing? Household chores?"

"If I wanted another domestic slave, I'd go to the auctioneers. Much easier to buy a slave already trained in domestics."

"Then what?"

"I am in need of someone to do a few interrogations in my place, assist in my experiments, and ensure my security, among other things."

Jakobb laughed slightly. "Can't get any of your own kind to help, huh?" he questioned with derision. "What? The masters don't want to be around a mongrel?"

The Keeper's eyes grew dark as he pulled a device from his robes and, aiming it at Jakobb, activated it. A stream of electrical energy exited the device and struck the Human in the chest, causing him to scream as he fell to his knees.

"Mind your words carefully, Jakobb," he warned in a low tone, letting the electricity continue to torture the man as he spoke. "Just because I said I didn't want groveling doesn't mean I don't want respect. I'm as pure-blood as any of my people. The fact that my father's indiscretions with a human female resulted in me doesn't change that. Genetics is the only thing that matters and you're just a Human. Don't ever forget that." Having made his point, he shut off the device, leaving the Human gasping for relief from the residual pain he felt.

Jakobb had heard the berating as if through a fog, his own screams nearly drowning the Keeper's words. Still, regardless, the meaning wasn't lost on him: don't piss off the Keeper. Not wanting to feel the intense pain again, he murmured a reluctantly submissive, "Yes, sire."

The Keeper smiled at his words, putting away the device. "Much better. Now, getting back on subject, I require an answer to my offer. Keep in mind that if I am not pleased with your performance in your duties that there will be unpleasant consequences."

The Human gently put his hand on his chest where the electrical energy had struck him, noting the soreness there. It was going to hurt for a couple of days at least, he knew. And the Keeper promised more pain if he even tried to disobey even slightly. Was this better than death? After nearly two years of struggling to survive in the Zone, he just didn't know anymore.

The uncertainty on Jakobb's face was easily read by the Keeper. Grabbing his arm, he forced him to his feet. "Let me give you an incentive," he told him, pulling him along as he exited the room and walked down the corridor. "I've shown you the consequences of disobedience. Let me show you the rewards that come from a job well done." Stopping in front of another cell door, he opened it and pushed him in.

The room was similar to the one they had just left and was occupied by a humanoid female who was secured to the far wall with a set of manacles. "I have a prisoner who needs to be interrogated," the Keeper explained. "She has valuable information necessary to the Empire. Get that information from her by any means necessary and you will be rewarded. If you don't, I will assume that the answer to my offer is no." Without waiting for a response, he exited the room, locking Jakobb in with the prisoner.

Jakobb considered the captive for a long moment, a thousand thoughts running through his mind. Who was this woman? How did she get there? Why was she a prisoner? Was she Human? She certainly looked Human but so did the masters. What information did the Empire want from her? He hadn't even had a chance to get such answers from the Keeper before he left. Looking at her, he noticed the fear in her eyes. Fear was a weakness; that was the lesson that had been driven into his brain since he was a young man fighting in a horrible war and proven once again to him during the last two years. One may feel the emotion – no one could control that – but to show fear and let it control you was the greatest mistake. It showed the enemy that you could be influenced to go against your ideals. Fortunately for Jakobb, he didn't have any ideals except one – survival.

The woman, it turned out, was a lot stronger than she had first appeared. Nonetheless, Jakobb was relentless in his interrogation, not hesitating in using torture to get her to finally talk. Apparently, she already knew what the Empire wanted from her and, when the time came, was willing to tell everything in exchange for an end to her agony. She confessed to being part of a growing insurgence against the Empire and had given names of others in the group.

"I've said all I know. I swear. Please… please… stop," she begged.

Before the human male could even consider her plea, the Keeper entered the room, a contented smile on his face. "Excellent, Jakobb. I knew she would be recalcitrant to speak unless… persuaded. You are quite skilled at convincing people to open up." He stepped to the woman, meeting her eyes. "And now that you've confessed, I can do whatever I want to you… your Grace." His words gained a weep of despair from the woman.

Jakobb's eyes widened. "Hold on a minute. I just tortured royalty?"

"A distant relative to His Majesty," the Keeper confirmed. "There have been accusations that she has been colluding with forces who want to destroy the Empire. I knew she was guilty but I couldn't prove it and I couldn't… persuade her myself. Harming a royal is treason… unless the royal herself is proven treasonous. I couldn't risk my own skin should she not have confessed."

"What about me?" Jakobb knew that, as a Human, he was now in even more trouble for harming one of the masters, much less one of royal blood, regardless of the end result. At this point, he was getting the feeling that the Keeper had set him up for one hell of a fall. What had he done to him to deserve this? Or was he just some random choice.

"Don't worry," the Keeper assured. "You acted on my orders and her confession exonerates you of your actions."

"And if she hadn't confessed, I'd be dead!" the human male pointed out.

"That was definitely a possibility." Not allowing Jakobb to protest again, he pressed on. "But since that didn't happen, you have earned your reward. Instead of being on the same level as my other slaves, you will work under my head slave in managing all of the others in running my household. I expect everything to be efficient and tidy at all times. In addition, you will assist me in my work when I so order. You are an excellent interrogator and I would be remiss if I didn't take full advantage of that."

Jakobb frowned. "This is my reward? Being subjugated?" he asked with some distaste.

"Your reward, Jakobb, is status among your peers, a roof over your head, clean clothes on your back, and food in your belly as opposed to struggling for survival in the Zone. The harder you work for me, the more responsibility you will be given. Now if you would prefer the other option…" he trailed, showing the Human that he wouldn't hesitate to return Jakobb to the Zone.

The man looked at the woman whom he had beaten and broken, quite literally, to get her to talk. He had to admit that he had enjoyed the challenge and he was proud of his work, especially now that he knew the woman was royalty. How often can you hurt a member of the royal family and get rewarded for the action? And the thought of having clean clothes and not have to worry about where your next meal was coming from was definitely appealing. So what if he had to do a major attitude adjustment and accept an occasional beating – he would be a fool not to admit that it would happen, especially if he messed up – to achieve getting what he wanted? And didn't the Keeper say that, with hard work, he could even achieve a level of freedom surpassing any other Human on this planet?

"I'll work for you… sire," he finally responded, deciding that being a slave to a good master was better than starving. He just hoped that he wasn't making the biggest mistake of his life.

"Excellent," the Keeper crowed. "In that case, I will have you escorted to my home. There you will get yourself cleaned up and properly dressed before returning." He gave the woman on the wall a spiteful grin. "We have much to do with Her Grace."

Apelhe – pronounced "Ah-pel-hey" with slight nasal quality