Cadets: The Empress of Batoria

#12 THE NEXUS SLAVE CAMPS

Following our escape, we were limping through a dense part of Batorean space. We did not try escaping to the neutral zone, knowing the Batoreans would be waiting for us.

Throughout the ship, the crew was hard at work repairing as much of the damage we sustained. Sickbay was packed with engineers and crewmen who got injured in the escape. There were so many patients, some had to lay on the floor as all the beds were full.

I was among the patients, resting after having my injuries treated. I was bruised in a few places and had bandages where Ali treated my burn marks. I wanted to get back to my duties, but Ali would not let me.

Stevie visited me and brought me a fresh uniform. She was about to leave me to change but I stopped her. The romantic spark between us resurfaced as we gazed into each other's eyes. We drew closer to share a kiss, but quickly turned away from each other as our friends walked in. They had some news for me.

They looked into the cyborg attack, and, as I suspected, the explosion that killed the big one was the result of Vitronium just like the cyborg that attacked Asha's ship.

This meant all the cyborg Rodins were connected because they were enhanced by the same person. Asha confirmed this presented us with files on a Rodin named Xu Hun.

According to the files, he was once one of the Empire's most resourceful scientists for his exponential knowledge and research in crystallised energy enhancement.

Before joining the Empire, Xu Hun lived a life of poverty with his father and the rest of the Rodin community, stealing to survive and running from troopers.

By the age of sixteen, Xu Hun was captured and would have been sent to the Nexus slave camps if word of his work had not reached out to the Empire. Impressed by his research, Xu Hun was granted immunity in exchange for his work, which would be in service to the Empire. They believed without limit he would achieve great things that would make the Empire stronger than ever before. He was granted full access to all their resources.

However, as time went on Xu Hun started conducting experiments that were extremely dangerous. One of those experiments was attempting to weaponize Vitronium energy.

The Empire was reluctant to allow Xu Hun to continue his work, which proved to be their biggest mistake. His attempts to weaponize Vitronium resulted in a disaster that annihilated half a planet. He too perished in the disaster. Afterwards, the Empire banned any further Vitronium research. Many who supported Xu Hun did not take kindly to this decision. They were convinced that his experiment should have worked.

I was curious to know how Asha knew all this. To our surprise it was her who convinced the Empire to spare Xu Hun.

I pondered for a moment and then limped towards the nearest intercom, despite Ali's insistence to stay in bed. I contacted the bridge and ordered Max to set a course for the Nexus slave camps at best possible speed.

My friends were shocked by my orders. The Batorean Empire was after us and instead of returning home we were going to the Nexus slave camps which was under Batorean control. However, I explained my reasons.

I told them about what I overheard from Alucard earlier, about the weapon and the slave camps. After everything Asha had brought up, I had a hunch that somewhere in those slave camps the Rodins had built another Vitronium weapon.

My friends found all this to be risky, but no one opposed. Either way, it was the only lead we had if we had any chance of clearing our names.

Nym hoped I was not planning to take the Enterprise into more battle. The last attack which took out our hyperdrive caused a radiation leak in the main reactor. He was forced to take the mains offline and seal the reactor chamber to prevent contamination.