Cole

Humanity has ventured into the vastness of space in search of a new home, and has discovered many races and civilizations. This has led to the formation of the Galactic Protectorate, a federation uniting humans and other species to maintain peace. However, there are those who escape its control - space pirates and slavers who take refuge on the planet "The Cup of Sins", a black market where live goods are the main currency.

Captain Horward commanded the ship Drifter, once an exploration vessel now used for less noble purposes. In a pirate world where power and authority are prized, her authority was unquestioned, thanks to the legacy of her father, a wanted criminal by the Protectorate, and her ties to her ex-husband, Arnis Tal, an influential member of the Federation Council. Her crew attacked merchant ships, ignoring the Federation's efforts.

One day, Horward, having decided to buy slaves from the slave trader Zorg, learned that the best specimens had been sold, and chose two strong grolls. However, among the remaining ones was a man who did not sell well due to his physical weakness. Zorg praised him, but Horward refused and took the grolls.

Twelve hours later, the chief engineer reported a problem in the cargo hold. The captain went down and saw the same guy.

"What?" she shouted at him, stepping closer. "How dare you? Do you know what this means? The Guild will think I stole you! This is a declaration of war, and they will set every hunter in the galaxy on us!"

“They were taking us to the Gebbota mines!” he interrupted, as if it were just a girl who was yelling at him, not a pirate captain. “I’m asking you to let me stay and make it to the Nexus. It’s a neutral station on the edge of the Protectorate, and I’ll disembark there and never bother you again. I hacked the cage with a piece of debris and climbed through the vents onto your ship while your crew was loading. Your security systems have blind spots, and I can show them to you. I can be useful.”