Castor Pollux, the last pulp hero in the galaxy, fights for his life on a mission that leads him to the mysterious prison planet. Ambushed by enemy ships and with every second against him, Castor unleashes an epic battle that will mark him forever.
What secrets lie hidden on the prison planet?
Find out in this first and explosive adventure from the Imperium Universe. Don’t miss it!
At the beginning of the last century, in the United States, a literary genre emerged that would change the way we live adventure: pulp. Stories full of emotion, fantasy and heroism, starring iconic characters such as Tarzan, John Carter, Conan, and many more, captivated readers everywhere. These stories not only laid the foundation for the superheroes we know today, but marked a time when reading was, above all, an exciting and fun experience.
In pulp there were no editorial ties. The stories combined genres with total freedom, and the objective was only one: to entertain readers eager for emotions, who eagerly awaited the next issue to discover how their hero would survive a mortal danger.
Today, that magic is back. If what you are looking for is fast-paced action, non-stop adventures and strong emotions, you are in the right place. But if you want complex characters and deep narrative arcs, it might be better to take a step back.
For those who decide to stay, I give you a warning: hold on tight, because what is coming is an intense journey through the Imperium universe. Pulp is back, and it’s more alive than ever!
Castor Pollux doesn’t aim to replace the great pulp heroes.
He only wants to fight like them, live like them…
and keep the spirit of pulp alive across the stars.
This is our tribute.
This is our adventure.
This is where it all begins.
The first spark of the pulp revival. Get ready to meet Castor Pollux.
Castor Pollux entered the bar. The atmosphere was sordid, filled with strange creatures. Terminus, the last planet on the border of Imperium, attracted smugglers and travelers of all kinds.
He made his way to the counter with the skill and agility of someone who had fought a thousand battles, his determined and confident stride making it clear he was not someone to approach lightly.
His powerful build, wrapped in a black combat suit with reinforced armor segments, marked him as a man forged in war. On his chest, a faint orange “V” glowed—a symbol long forgotten by many.
Every step revealed that the armor was no ornament: it had been built to endure.
Some eyes fell on him with caution. But what truly stood out was the intensity in his dark eyes and the firmness of his jaw. Strong features that, combined with his imposing presence, gave him a dangerous, magnetic air.
He ordered a Harmill, a pale green drink with a gaseous gray layer on top. He paid five denarii and drank it in one gulp, feeling it burn down his throat, scorching everything in its path.
Then he heard a voice behind him.
“Bounty hunter, we meet again at last,” said the voice.
He didn’t react immediately. He kept staring at the counter.
“I swore I’d kill you the next time I saw you—and by the Great God of the Galaxy, I intend to keep that promise,” the voice continued.
At the sound of the threat, the bar’s chatter died. The nearby patrons stepped back, and all eyes turned to the troublemaker. He was a Harmock—one of the most warlike races. The brute stood over eight feet tall, with bulging muscles that looked carved from stone. His metal boots echoed across the floor with each step. His gray skin and dark gray armor gave him the appearance of a titan; his mere presence was enough to make any enemy think twice before challenging him.
He advanced toward Castor with purpose, ready to charge. Castor, a faint smile on his lips, pointed at his empty glass.
“I think I’ll need another one of these.”
The bartender, a thin reptiloid, poured a new drink in seconds and backed away as fast as he could. The giant was drawing closer, but the bounty hunter remained with his back turned, unbothered.
“Damn Earthlink, a Harmock always keeps his promises.”
Castor raised his glass, about to take a sip. But the massive hand of the troublemaker struck his arm, knocking the glass from his hand and sending it crashing against the far end of the counter. Castor watched it shatter into pieces.
“I’m not paying for that Harmill,” he said calmly to the bartender. “You’ll have to charge our friend here.”
With ease, he turned to face the giant. He looked him up and down and gave a faint smile.
“That wasn’t very polite of you.”
The Harmock snorted, and before Castor could react, he lifted him like a feather and hurled him into a nearby table. The impact shattered it, sending those seated there scrambling in fear. The rest of the patrons backed away, clearing the space.
The Harmock advanced slowly, his massive frame filling the room. As Castor stood up, he brushed the dust off and watched the brute approach.
With a swift motion, he pulled a small device from his belt. A 3D hologram of the Harmock projected into the air.
“Lotus Cneo, wanted on eight planets for theft, vandalism, sabotage of security systems… and for beating up four Imperium officials. An impressive record. But it ends here. You’re headed to Nexum 1, where you’ll finally answer for your crimes.”
Lotus snatched the electro-projector from Castor’s hand, crushed it with a single blow, and tossed it to the floor.
“Insignificant Earthlink. And how exactly do you plan to take me in?”
He walked between the tables, laughing loudly as he threw defiant glances at the patrons. Some joined in his laughter, but the tension was plain on their faces.
“I’m going to teach you to respect a Harmock.”
He turned to where he expected to see his target—but Castor was no longer there. Surprised, the giant scanned the room with his eyes, searching.
A sound behind him. Castor appeared, bottle in hand, and with a precise strike, smashed it over the colossus’s head. The Harmock let out a grunt and dropped to his knees, stunned.
But the advantage didn’t last long. Furious, he leapt to his feet with a roar and charged at the bounty hunter, slamming him against the nearest wall. The blow knocked the air from his lungs, and he barely managed to react before the giant lunged again.
The Harmock advanced with confidence, savoring his victory—but at the last second, Castor, swift and precise, met him with a direct kick to the chin.
The impact rocked the giant. His massive body wavered, head snapping back from the force of the strike. A second later, he crashed to the ground, unconscious.
The bar fell into a deathly silence. The few onlookers who remained shrank into their seats, stunned by Castor’s agility and precision.
Breathing heavily but with a calm smile on his lips, he looked down at the fallen giant.
“Some people prefer the hard way,” he muttered as he adjusted his suit.
He cast one last glance at the fallen Harmock before heading to the bar, where the bartender—with trembling hands—served him another drink. This time, he drank it slowly. He paid the five denarii and left with his prisoner.
Outside, the scorching heat of the desert struck his face. Lotus Cneo, still unconscious, lay atop the antigrav stretcher floating about a foot off the ground. The Earthlink dragged his prisoner across the sandy terrain of Terminus.
The landscape was vast and hostile, with towering dunes rising like mountains of sand beneath a reddish sun that dominated the sky. Long, oppressive shadows stretched across the desert. Castor walked unhurriedly, sweat running down his brow and soaking his dust-covered suit. Each step made the sand crunch beneath his boots.
In the distance, the engines of the Centurion 1 glowed, its silhouette standing out against the dunes.
At last, he reached his ship—spacious and powerful, with angular lines and a structure built for battle. With its reinforced hull and ability to move at breakneck speeds, the Centurion 1 had seen more fights than any vessel in the Imperium fleet could endure. It was his loyal companion, an extension of his will in the void.
A hologram greeted him. The image materialized slowly, revealing a woman of enigmatic beauty. Her long black hair fell softly over her shoulders, contrasting with her pale skin. Her eyes, a deep and vibrant violet, radiated a hypnotic calm, as if they could see beyond the visible. She wore a flowing white tunic that hovered lightly around her, giving her a mystical, ethereal air—like a celestial being in the heart of cold technology.
Aurora circled around Lotus Cneo, who remained unconscious.
“I see you captured him,” she said in a gentle voice.
Castor sat on the ground, leaning his back against the ship, visibly tired.
The hologram kept her gaze fixed on Lotus, her violet eyes scanning every detail.
“I suggest you restrain him before he wakes,” Aurora added, her tone serene and unshaken, “unless you’re in the mood to fight him again.”
“Aurora, I don’t think he’ll wake up anytime soon. By the time he realizes what happened, we’ll already be on Nexum 1.”
“Nexum 1? The prison planet?”
“Yes. I plan to deliver him today.”
Castor closed his eyes and relaxed.
Lotus opened his and sat up on the stretcher. Aurora frowned.
“I think you should restrain him now,” she said.
“Have I ever told you that you sometimes remind me of my mother?” Castor muttered, eyes still closed.
“One thousand and twenty-six times,” the hologram replied.
Lotus rose and passed a hand through Aurora’s projection, as if trying to touch her. Then he stepped toward Castor, his massive shadow blocking the red sun of Terminus. Castor opened his eyes, sensing the towering figure of the Harmock looming over him.
With swift reflexes, he dodged a kick and, in a sudden motion, swept the colossus’s legs out from under him. Before the giant could react, Castor leapt onto him.
They rolled across the ground, locked in a brutal struggle. At times, it seemed the bounty hunter had the upper hand—only for the gray-skinned giant to seize control again in an instant.
Aurora, unmoved, circled them, observing every movement.
At one point, the Harmock pinned Castor beneath him, his massive hands closing around the Earthlink’s neck. The powerful fingers squeezed with relentless force. Castor’s vision began to darken as he desperately reached for his gladius—but the holster resisted.
The air was slipping away when, at last, his fingers managed to free the weapon.
The gladius, one of Imperium’s most versatile weapons, responded to rapid commands. With a single tap, it could switch functions according to the needs of combat. Castor slid his finger across the tactile control, and the weapon instantly shifted to taser mode. One touch was enough to unleash an electric charge. Lotus let out a grunt and collapsed, unconscious.
Aurora materialized beside him.
“I’m detecting an increase in your heart rate,” she remarked with her usual calm.
Panting, Castor rolled onto his back, trying to catch his breath.
“Don’t even think about saying ‘I told you so,’” he muttered, flashing a tired smile.
With effort, he lifted the unconscious giant and hauled him into the ship. He strapped him securely into a seat, locking his wrists with cuffs and chaining his feet to prevent any chance of escape.
He sat at the controls, powering up the systems for launch. Moments later, the roar of the engines echoed, and the ship lifted off the planet, rising into the void of space.
The prisoner, slowly regaining consciousness, began to stir in his seat, struggling against the chains that held him tightly restrained.
“Earthlink! When I break free, I’ll crush you like an insect!” he roared.
Castor glanced at him with disdain, biting into a sandwich. He was completely relaxed, feet propped up on the control panel.
Suddenly, Aurora projected herself in front of him.
“We have two ships approaching at high speed.”
The bounty hunter barely looked up from his sandwich.
“I don’t recognize their signature.”
Without haste, he activated the intercom.
“Starship licensed IGBX-312346, registered under the Imperium Space Authority, reporting in. Identify yourselves. I repeat: identify yourselves.”
“They’re closing in faster and faster,” Aurora insisted, her tone unchanged.
Castor set the sandwich aside, his eyes locking onto the screen.
“We’re under attack,” she confirmed.
“Disengage autopilot,” he ordered, voice firm.
“Impact in fifteen seconds.”
“Activate security shield—now,” he said, as his hands flew across the controls, eyes locked on the display.
“Four, three, two, one… impact.”
The Centurion 1 shook violently from the hit. Castor gripped his seat tightly, bracing himself against the jolt.
Who is attacking Castor… and why?
Will he survive this ambush in deep space?
And what fate awaits him on Nexum 1, the prison planet?
The shots have begun. The enemy shows no mercy.
And you’ve only witnessed the first assault.
Do you have the courage to see it through to the end?
About this series:
Pulp short stories set in the Imperium universe.
Each book is a self-contained adventure starring Castor Pollux on a different planet, facing new enemies, dangers, and mysteries. You can start with any one.
