Character: Tom the Hero

Character: Joe the side kick

Character: Mazama the sexy girl friend

Character: Zhodani Jeff the enslaver

A large blue scaly Ithklur stood hulking with its sharp claws on the ground over the bloody body of Tom's girlfriend Mazama, its lizard form in gross contrast to the small body on the ground. She had been a tall woman with long strong legs and a thin waist, built like a runner. What was left was only grief and red blood on brown earth.

Hot salty tears ran down Tom's face. She was the only woman who had ever fought beside him as an equal and in bed she was his dream. Now she lay on the earth, her blood feeding the flowers. Tom shook with hated for the Ithklur. Poor Mazama would never again be by his side.

It had been a long war. The Ithklur were winning on almost every front. It did not matter that the Imperium's elite troops where here secretly helping. The Ithklur were the ultimate warriors. They were big, fast, strong and had no equal at strategy. The only thing that held them in check were the Hivers, a race of great powers and even great need to control others.