Exchangus Interruptus.

We landed sometime later, although no one opened the door for quite a while, so we just sat and held each other.

"Are you sure the master has come for us?" Echo whispered.

"That's what our tentacled chum said," I replied. "I see no reason for him to lie about it."

Echo shifted against me in excitement. "Good," she said. "Then we can be together again in our room."

I smiled, a little woefully, and stroked her hair. The fact that my sweetheart was happy in our life of slavery made me sad. Of course, what she'd been through, or perhaps he, as Gurgo, had been through, had eventually turned him into her. She was totally broken really, mentally. Reborn from the fires of torment as an innocent. It gave her a vulnerability that was hard to resist, as I'd found out.

Now, let me just point out that just because I'd fallen for my little slave friend didn't mean I wasn't aware of the ramifications. Yes, I'd fallen into the Karma bitch's trap, but I knew it. The problem was I didn't know how I could turn that to my, or our, advantage. At that moment I had visions of the Karma torturing Echo, and making me watch her suffer, just to torture me. And the problem was, that would work.

I shook my head gently. There was a way out of here. I just had to find it.

A noise interrupted my ruminations. We both looked up as the door swung open, letting the, slightly greenish, sunlight stream in.

"Come." Our good friend the sologram ordered.

Stepping out, we both blinked and looked around.

"Look!" Echo said, nudging me and pointing.

I looked.

We were in a large open space, some kind of park perhaps. Trees encircled the clearing, although some distance out. Our vehicle had landed, along with four or five others, in a cluster. Solograms and armed mercenaries stood around holding some serious looking hardware.

Echo had pointed to another group, of similar size and makeup to the one we were with. I squinted and saw a lone, golden skinned figure standing next to a taller, bearded one. It was Gol and Zilver.

"Looks like the exchange is on then," I said.

Echo did a little jump of excitement, bless her. I was indifferent really, although Zilver's fondness for Echo was a weak spot that I could possibly use somehow.

A red-hued sologram came up to us and, taking us painfully by our shoulders, led us to the edge of the group. Here the mercenaries were using the vehicles as cover, and had their weapons pointed towards Zilver's lot.

"Walk slowly and steadily over to them," the solo instructed us, and let us go.

Have you ever been in a hostage exchange? Probably not I'm guessing. Well, it's rather nerve-wracking, let me just say. Lots of people with guns facing each other, and you in the middle.

Of course, if we were killed we'd just wake up back in the Karma's room, but that didn't suit my plans just now.

So Echo and I walked, hand in hand, slowly and steadily, towards Gol, who was doing the same but in the other direction of course.

As we approached each other I could feel his lust-field, and groaned slightly. I had not been good at resisting temptation lately, but I didn't feel it would be a good idea to fuck him right in the middle of all this.

Echo was feeling it too, and squeezed my hand.

"Don't worry," I said. "Everything will be..."

I was going to say 'all right' but I was cut short by an explosion.

"What the fuck?" I threw Echo to the ground and landed on top of her. Gol dived to the floor too, barely a metre away.

"What's happening?" both Gol and Echo screamed.

I raised my head slightly and took in the scene.

Both Zilver and Tentacle-thing's troops were firing, at each other, but also at...

I looked around and got the shock of my life.

Barely thirty metres away was a small attack ship. It hadn't been there a moment before, or maybe it had been, but cloaked. Running from it, and towards us, was a small group of soldiers in a uniform that I was very familiar with.

"Dominar!" one of them shouted at me. "Come on, get up, we're here to rescue you!"

Fuck knows how, but my Empire had found me! We were saved!

~

"Gol, Echo, come on!" I shouted, pulling Echo upright.

"Who are they?" she wailed at me, ducking as bolts of energy flew about us.

"They're my people," I said, dragging her along, heading towards the nearest soldier.

The uniform they had on was of the Dominion Special Forces elite squad. Essentially, my bodyguards at the castle. They were the best troops from my enormous armed forces.

"Sir," the lead figure said. "To the ship."

How he knew it was me I didn't know, but it wasn't a time for small talk. Even as I nodded and pulled Echo behind me, one of my men went down.

With Gol running alongside, we made best time towards the ship. The lead commando fell in behind us, running backwards, firing as he went.

"What's happening?" Echo asked again, panting hard.

"It's going to be okay babe," I said, a joyous smile. "You're going to be safe, with me!" The ship was mere metres away now.

"Oh," she said.

I thought she was just replying to me, but then she let go of my hand.

Stopping, I turned.

Echo was on the ground, lying on her back, eyes wide. A large hole had been blow through her chest.

"NOOOO!" I cried, falling to my knees next to her. "Echo!"

"It's..." she smiled up at me. Her hand moved up towards my face, but then dropped back down.

"Nooo!" I screamed again.

"Sir!" The commando lead shouted at me. "Sir! We have to go! Now!"

I looked up, eyes misty, but I nodded. I would come back for her, and I'd make the Karma pay

dearly.

Leaving the body of my beloved Echo on the ground, I ran into the ship.