The struggle.

Niko once again found himself on a distant planet, working just outside the Halstraad estate. Scavenging alongside a large group on a jungle-like planet known as Staritia. Here Niko would act out his greatest fantasies of picking up fruit.

Doing all of this after being bought for ten million Auria seemed like a bit of a waste.

Niko, of course, had never expected to find himself here. After recklessly declaring that he would rebel and kill anyone who tried to buy him he had still found himself enslaved by a man known as Alaric Vonn Halstraad who had been willing to take up the challenge.

It had been about a week and Niko had mostly been doing basic manual labour. Laying low was best for now as Niko didn't how long his plan was going to take. Luckily Falina had longer than average lifespans so a few years passing by wouldn't be a big deal.

'I know exactly what I need to do.' Niko thought to himself.

'I'm going to kill Alaric, I'm going to kill the blackhawks and I'm going to kill the slavers.'

It was as simple as that. Just kill everybody.

As Niko made his way towards the next berry bush a familiar high-pitched female voice made a noise.

"Those berries are poisonous."

Niko, who had been distracted by all his thoughts of vengeance. Reassessed the berries before realizing that she was right.

"Oh yeah, thanks Talia."

The girl Talia, was still mostly unresponsive although it seemed like he had made a minor effort. This uniquely augmented girl had been one of his acquaintances during his time at the Alaric estate.

The power hierarchy which had placed these two at the bottom would be incredibly difficult to trudge the way that they were. The hierarchy itself worked as:

Slaves < officers < executive officers < Alaric's family < Alaric.

Supposedly Alaric's mother and son were on another planet but his daughter was still living on the main estate.

Just then as Talia was discussing the right berries with Niko a male officer began to interfere.

"STOP FRATERNIZING NOW! RETURN TO YOUR SCAVENGING IMMEDIATELY!"

This heavily augmented clown had been harassing Niko for the past week looking for any opportunity to make his life harder.

'I have no idea what I did to that guy.' Niko thought, he had never hurt him in anyway but he was clearly targetting Niko. But that's just how it sometimes, the weak will target the weaker im oreder to compensate for their own insecurities.

Clown seemed to have a lot to compensate for.

"Or what?"

Surprisingly Niko's response seemed to give Clown a mild bit of enjoyment as his straightened face began to bend slightly upwards Clown grinned at Niko, probably because he thought his next response was now justified.

"Or this."

Clown lifted his baton and striked Niko bluntly in the head. As Niko fell to the ground he began to laugh maniacally and retreated to his other colleagues.

An hour passed.

Niko and Talia had now entered their cabin it was a small room at the back of the jungle that housed 16, pretty far away from the main estate. There were 11 boys, 3 girls, Talia and Niko who would all relocate to this cramped abode whenever their work for the day was done.

While Niko had managed to get on an amicable relationship of "hi's" and "hello's" he had failed to truly connect with any of them. Currently as he sat with Talia who was staring off into space, 11 of them had huddled around playing makeshift poker with some cards they had bribed off some of the officers and using rocks as fake chips. Having stolen a poor souls bed to replace the table.

"Read and em weep, baby."

One of the males who Niko believed went by the name of Gary had just managed to win via full house, beating out both a three and two pair. Niko knew he wouldn't be able to join in with them so he switched his attention to a group of two guys and one girl who were seemingly having a hillarious discussion.

There was a red-haired old man with a scruffy beard, a younger and gentler looking man who had been cursed with a wooden augmentation for an eye and an elderly lady who appeared to be a full Falina.

"Hello."

Niko opened with a simple yet reasonable gesture.

The younger man responded in kind.

"Hello, Niko yes?

"Yeah. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Harry."

The older man interjected.

"I'm Samuel."

Then the falina grandma.

"I'm Necolina."

Necolina's features differed a tad bit from Niko, first of all her body was completely covered in fur compared to just Niko's ears. Secondly, she seemed shorter in stature than anyone else in the room, pure-blooded falina's had lifespans which could extend to five hundred years so to be a grandma falina she must have experienced so much of what the world had to offer. Atleast four-hundred years old. For someone like her to end up here was nothing short of tragedy.

Niko continued to build rapport with this small group, making connections and getting people on his side meant that he'd have a better chance navigating the manor and surviving long enough to escape this cursed land. 

"So the rumours are that you have a constellation."

"What? of course not."

Niko still did not know if he actually had any abilities but regardless he knew to deny, if people became certain of his abilities that would put him on a lot of people's bad side. It was the same for Talia, if anyone discovered she had a unique augmentation she would be setting herself up for failiure. With Talia's monstrous strength she might've been able to escape at any time though, Just what was she waiting for?

The younger gentlemen piped up?

"So why did that guard hit you over the head."

"Huh?"

"I... Uhh I saw earlier you got attacked by that guard didn't you?"

Niko explained his situation.

"That guards a bastard. He's attacked me before as well, completely unprompted."

As Niko began to bond with the man named Harry over a collective hatred for the clown guard a knock came from the cabin door.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

As Niko opened the door he met eyes with a woman in a maid outfit, perhaps she had come from the inside of the manor?

"Sir Alaric is requesting a Niko and a Talia Sylvan."

"I'm Niko, she's Talia." Niko gestured towards Talia.

The question now was whether the time had come? Why exactly had Alaric placed his two "specials" in a boring cabin doing basic manual labour?

Niko knew fully well that if he had spent ten million on somebody he'd want his money's worth. Was it a test? Or was ten million so insignificant to Alaric he was willing to throw it away over anything?

If there was any time to find out it was now. The maid responded as Talia made her way towards the front door.

"Alright then. Follow me. Sir Alaric would like to speak to you personally."

Niko steadied himself as he prepared to confront Alaric for the first time.

'Just what kind of man are you anyway?'