Chapter One of Crion's Revenge

Alexia Khan walked into a rather seedy and disreputable establishment. 'Leonard's Cavern' was bar off the side of the North Piett Academy but not one attended by the elite of the students. The barely lit hyperpool hall and gambling parlor had a considerably lower class clientelle. It happened to be a location for students who wanted trouble to go to. Exactly where the man Alexia needed most should be found.

The tavern reaked of smoked stelium crystals, whiskey, and grime. The barely illuminated nature of the place helped conceal the patron's faces. A couple of barely functional holoscreens showed Crion gladiator fights and zoom bike racing on the backwall. The sun glowed brightly in the noonday sky but a half dozen people were already passed out drunk. A small group of students were next to a battered group of bystanders that looked out of place in such a disreputable locale.

"You people make me sick! You and the rest of your race are living fat off the glorious pureblooded Crion citizenry!" Elton Prescott the Third said as the genoid beat a smaller dark headed man. Hardly a fair fight given the slight fellow was being held by one of Elton's classmates. Alexia guessed the boy to be one of the many disliked minority groups that had been created by Crion's gene conscious society. She personally couldn't tell the difference between Crion's artificially created ethnic groups.

Elton blonde haired man with eyes almost like Cassius. They were about the same height and weight even though the Crimson Prince happened to be ten years Elton's senior. Prescott proudly wore the paramilitary uniform of a Crion Allegiance special serviceman. Stripes that made him appear to be higher ranking than his fellows, despite no such divisions existing in the Allegiance. Given Prescott had been kicked out of the military for his insubordination, it was no surprise he resented his loss in rank.

"Help...." a bruised blonde girl lay on the ground beside Prescott's feet even as yet another student had a knife drawn on her.

"You stay down! We're going to show your boyfriend what a real man can do," Elton snapped down at her. "You may even like it."

"Ahem," Alexia Khan coughed into her fist.

"Do you want some?" Elton spun around and pulled a energy pistol from his back pocket. He aimed it right at Alexia with a sneer.

Then Alexia narrowed her eyes. It only took a second for Elton to visibly pale.

"Mistress Khan!" Elton immediately entered a salute. Prescott's followers did the same and let their victim fall to the ground. The beaten couple then screambled to their feet before making a break for the door.

"Lousy pieces of...." the blonde haired student lifted his gun to blast the fleeing man's head in.

"Let him go. Genetrash is none of your concern right now," Alexia pushed the gun down with her forefinger.

"Yes mistress," Elton returned to saluting.