The Sentient Star

Chapter IX - The Sentient Star

This truly was the lowest point in Ungral's life, wasn't it? In a matter of days, he lost his crew, his ship, and his home, as well as his brand-new dragon and assistant, then the guy that destroyed his home got away. What a mess.

Now, as Ungral processed these thoughts, he sat alone in a cold cell separated from the outside by gamma laser bars. He was only in jail at the moment, but the enforcers were going to take him to his trial, then transfer him to a capital prison at any moment. There, he would spend years paying for his crimes. It would be too long before he would ever see the light of a star again.

Following these thoughts, the pirate positioned himself in a sleeping position on the frigid steel floor in an attempt to get some rest, but he was unable to. The unnerving thought of actually going to prison for an extended period of time worried him more than it ever has before, and it kept him awake. Normally, the pirate would have his crewmates or another friend to break him out, but they didn't even know he got locked up this time. Ungral was truly afraid for the first time in years.

After about an hour of pondering these feelings, he finally fell asleep, but was abruptly woken up not long after by loud banging on the wall next to him.

"Wake, Tyroik! Wake! Hahaha!" the deep voice of the Krogurian that captured him earlier exclaimed stupidly.

Ungral immediately sat up and began glaring at the enforcer.

"That's what Tyroik get for being pirate!" he declared, glaring back at Ungral. Following these words, his tone changed from angry to condescending, "Aww... is Tyroik sad?" he asked sarcastically, using as pitiful of a tone as he could muster.

Ungral didn't respond.

"Tyroik want freedom. But Tyroik doesn't get freedom. HAHAHAHA!!" the Krogurian taunted. He then turned around and began scratching his back.

"Axur want sandwich now..." the enforcer stated quietly on his way out.

Once the bonehead was gone, Ungral laid down silently on the floor of his cell again. The pirate just wanted to be put on trial already, and while he waited, he did absolutely nothing for a few hours until he heard the door slide open again. Ungral didn't even glance to see who it was. He knew what was going to happen.

To his surprise however, the pirate heard the sound of lasers depowering. This caught his attention, and as he whipped his head to the side to view who was there, he saw that it was none other than Jagovao, the clumsy moron who destroyed the pirate's frigate and was nothing but dead weight to him.

"What? You came back for me?" Ungral asked, shock consuming his voice.

"Of course! I couldn't just leave you behind!" the alien exclaimed, putting his hands to his hips.

"But... you owed me money, and you literally could have taken Kaida and left!" Ungral exclaimed, "You just put your life and your reputation in danger for someone that enslaved you!" the pirate paused for a moment, "Why?"

Jagovao shook his head.

"Look Ungral, I admit that I haven't treated you right, and believe it or not, I actually have morals myself," the alien explained calmly, "that being said, I think it's only fair that I stick with you until you can get your new ship."

"Wow! This is great!" Ungral cried, "And I think I owe you an apology as well. I shouldn't have tried to threaten or kill you."

Jagovao laughed briefly.

"Don't worry about it. It's not the first time it happened anyway." the alien stated, putting his hand out.

"You know what, you're not so bad, Jagovao," Ungral declared, grasping the alien's hand, and shaking it promptly.