Somewhere in the universe...

"Sir, we lost contact with A1 and the whole outpost that was involved in the operation for the Miniknog." A Syndicate soldier was kneeling in front of another person.

This person was a middle-aged Human with a gray hair and gray full beard. The middle-aged man was very good looking for someone of his age. He was tall and had a very fit and strong body. He looked like a butler in his cla.s.sy formal suit.

"This is a problem indeed." The man scratched his beard. "You are dismissed." He waved his hand showing to the soldier that he was allowed to leave.

"Something troublesome, Alfred?" The middle-aged man heard an arrogant voice coming from behind him.

He turned around and saw a handsome young man lazily seated on the sofa with one of his hands supporting his chin.

The young man had a bright, short, messy blond hair and sharp blue eyes. He was tall and had a slim body.

The young man was wearing some casual clothing. A gray pants, white shirt, and a black hoodie.

"Jason..." Alfred frowned when he saw how casually and lazily the young man was seating. "Have some manners while you are in the main house, please?"

"How about... No?" Jason rolled his eyes, annoyed at how Alfred was talking with him. "So, what happened?" Jason casually asked. He wasn't that interested in what happened, he just asked because he was bored.

"Some trouble in one of the outposts of our most recent large operation." Alfred sighed when he realized that the young would never hear his advice.

"That's a big problem then." Jason frowned when he thought of the possible implications that might befall onto the Syndicate.

"Indeed... If something really happened with the 'cargo', the Miniknog might use this as an opportunity to finally deal with the Black Star Syndicate, just like how they did with the USCM." Alfred slightly trembled when he remembered what happened with the USCM.

Alfred was someone with a high post in the USCM when they were still operating.

He saw with his own eyes how the Miniknog was able to deal with them with barely using their troops and resources.

"I need to speak with your father and decided how the Syndicate should deal with this tricky situation." Alfred sighed once again. This time he was very troubled, the situation in front of them was very hard to deal with, and Jason's father, the boss of the Black Star Syndicate, was a headstrong and harsh person. With how things were progressing Jason's father might just try to fight against the Miniknog, which wasn't the wisest choice.

"My father won't listen to you, like always." Jason closed his eyes and leaned his head on the sofa.

"He is getting more and more stubborn and suspicious of everyone around him." Alfred walked around the living room and sat at the sofa across Jason. "Just yesterday he wanted to execute two innocent soldiers for treason. If he stay taking such actions, the members of the Syndicate might start to turn their backs at him."

"He's getting old..." Jason spoke. "Too old to be actually in power of such gigantic organization."

"I think is better if you tell him the news." Alfred hopefully stared at Jason. "If I tell him... He won't listen to my suggestions. You're his son, I think he would at least hear you out."

"Hahahahahaha..." Jason laughed. "Of all of us, he wouldn't listen to me the most. He thinks I can't wait to see him dead so that I can take control over the Syndicate. He truly has some mental problems."

Alfred helplessly sighed and also leaned back on the sofa. "What do we do, then? We can't just ignore such possible threat."

Jason shrugged his shoulders. "Why would we do something? He will found out, one way or another. Let's just wait for him to hit a wall and then he will need to ask for help."

"Yes... That's probably our best course of action." Alfred nodded. He too thought it was for the best if they waited for him to ask for help.

From an angle which Alfred couldn't see, Jason's lips moved upwards. He was overjoyed by the news.

The smile on his face was cold and chilling. His demeanor now completely different from the one shown just a few seconds ago...

...

"That'ssss everyone that survived?" The old, yellowish orange, Floran asked Peri that was in front of him.

"Unfortunately..." Peri sadly lowered her head.

The old Floran sighed. "That'sss the third colony we lossst in lessss than sssix monthsss."

"Yes. I believe it's the Black Star Syndicate that's targeting our colonies, lately." Peri remembered the black star that was painted in the armor of those people in the outpost.

Her eyes glinted with hatred and thirst for revenge.

"How the Greenfinger Council plans to deal with this situation?" Peri asked the old Floran.

"I think they didn't even sssat to talk about this situation at all. They are occupied with the Great Hunt for now."

"It's already about to start?" Peri completely forgot it was that time of the year when the Great Hunt was the center of attention of the Floran Colonies.

"Yes, in 4 days, more ssspecifically." The old Floran nodded in confirmation. "Are you going to partic.i.p.ate? You are the only one that isss capable of going againssst Nuru and don't lossse ss...o...b..dly." The old Floran looked at Peri, hopeful.

"No..." Peri shook her head. "My Warrior's Path isn't in the Great Hunt. I can feel it. I can feel that my path, my destiny is out there, in the stars." Peri looked at the blue sky and closed her eyes. She felt the cool and gentle breeze of nature. "The endless s.p.a.ce out there... I can feel it calling me... Ever since I won that Challenge Dimension, I was able to hear and dream about strange images. Sometimes, I can even hear someone or something calling me, urging me to follow my destiny. That's why I won't go to the Great Hunt, sorry grandpa."

"Ahhh..." The old Floran helplessly sighed. "It'ssss fine a.s.ss long a.s.ss you are happy, my child."

"Well... That was all I came to do here. I have to go now. I made a promise and I need to uphold it."

"You are talking about that Human that you sssaid that helped you?" The old Floran gazed at Peri's expression, searching for something.

"Yes, he was off... Some help." Peri admitted with an expressionless face.

The old Floran squinted his eyes. "You ssshould take him to the planet Gaia, where the Great Hunt is going to happen, and sssearch for your grandmother. Ssshe became a member of the Greenfinger Council la.s.sst year, ssshe might have sssome information that could help your friend." He seriously stared at Peri. "You can't bring him here. This planet isss a sssacred place. No knowledge of this place should be known by anyone bessside our family."

"I know..." Peri nodded her head in a serious manner.

"Thank you, grandfather, for all the help. I will go look for grandmother." Peri said goodbye.

She turned around and left the premises. She reached for her PIPS and beamed up to her ship.