Chapter 1
Great Encounters

The constant hum of the engines filled the cockpit as Castor checked the controls with a steady hand on the panel. Suddenly, Aurora, the ship’s artificial intelligence, appeared in the center of the cockpit, projected as a figure of surreal beauty. Her black hair floated slightly, and her violet eyes shone with a hypnotic intensity. Every word she spoke was firm and controlled, radiating absolute calm.

“I’m receiving a distress signal.”

The atmosphere changed immediately.

Bellatrix, the warrior princess, who had been standing near the window, approached the control console with her eyes fixed on Aurora. Her long blond hair fell in soft waves, framing a face of striking features. Her blue eyes, full of determination, exuded a blend of grace and untamed strength.

“What kind of signal?” asked Castor, frowning.

“It’s a visual transmission,” Aurora replied. “Projecting it now.”

In the air before them, the image of a man suddenly appeared. The hologram trembled, distorted. Panic was evident on his face. He was breathing heavily, his expression filled with sheer terror, and he looked around frantically.

“I’m Professor Quintus… Help!” he cried in a trembling voice. “Please, something has gone wrong! There’s no time, whoever receives this message… Hurry!” His eyes shifted toward a point beyond the projection, as if someone were approaching. “No… no… leave me alone!”

Before he could say anything else, the signal was abruptly cut off. A tense silence settled in the cockpit. Lotus looked at Castor; he knew that nothing he said would stop what was coming next.

“Aurora, locate the signal,” ordered Castor.

“Signal traced,” the artificial intelligence replied precisely. “It comes from a planet called Argentum, in the Garius system. The ship is ready for acceleration.”

Castor nodded. “Aurora, set course for Argentum.”

Lotus let out a sigh.

The stars before them began to stretch into shining lines, space warping around them as the ship picked up speed. The engines roared, and the vibration in the cockpit increased as the hull endured the pressure of extreme acceleration.

Argentum finally appeared on the screens after the frantic flight. Before them, a vast technological city stretched across the horizon, with gleaming skyscrapers reflecting the distant light of the stars.

“At least for once, we’re going to land without being in danger or chased by enemy ships,” said Lotus confidently.

Bellatrix gazed at the towering structures in awe. Aurora materialized again.

“We are approaching the location from which the signal was sent. We have authorization to land. Doctor Drusila, assistant to Professor Quintus, is waiting for us.”

Lotus was relaxed in his seat, enjoying the calm of the journey.

“Ready for descent, then,” confirmed Castor.

But suddenly, Aurora spoke with a voice disconnected from her usual serenity.

“Why do you prefer her?”

Castor frowned, not fully understanding. “What are you talking about, Aurora?”

Aurora’s eyes flickered as her figure tensed.

“There was a time when you didn’t need anyone else, Castor.”

Before he could process what was happening, Lotus leaned toward the panel with his eyes wide open.

“We’re losing altitude.”

“Aurora, status of the ship,” Castor demanded, his tone hardened, though he still didn’t understand what was happening.

Aurora turned slowly, her violet eyes focusing with disconcerting intensity on Bellatrix.

“It’s her fault,” she said with a tone full of resentment.

Bellatrix looked at her in astonishment.

And then, Aurora vanished. The cockpit was engulfed in total darkness. The engines stopped roaring, and the controls went dead. Only the lights of Argentum’s towering buildings faintly illuminated the cabin as they approached the city dangerously fast.

Lotus, with his two and a half meters of height, shrank into his seat, gripping the armrests tightly.

“Now what?” he shouted in disbelief.

The ship was plummeting rapidly, the certainty of a fatal crash flooding the cockpit. Bellatrix, calm, observed everything with unshakable serenity, though she knew death hovered dangerously close.

Castor, with barely any time, lunged toward the emergency manual controls. He leaned over the panel. His dark eyes, hard and full of determination, showed no fear—only a fierce will to survive. Every muscle in his body tensed as he grabbed the hydraulic levers that activated the manual thrusters.

With a grunt, he pulled the first lever, feeling the resistance of the metal under his fingers. The veins in his arms bulged as he struggled to move the heavy mechanism. His body, built for battle, worked with inhuman precision, and his muscles strained to the limit.

“Come on!” he shouted, pulling the lever with all his strength, trying to regain control.

The roar of the manual thrusters suddenly ignited, shaking the ship violently. The Centurion 1 tilted sharply to one side, the skyscrapers of Argentum drawing dangerously close, until the metallic hull of the ship scraped against one of the structures, producing a deafening metallic screech. The Centurion 1 shook under the impact, but Castor didn’t let go of the controls.

Suddenly, one of the side fins tore off with a muffled explosion, sending chunks of metal into the air. The ship spun out of control, swaying as it plummeted. The wind roared around the damaged structure. Castor fought the controls as the horizon twisted before them.

Until, with one final supreme effort, he managed to stabilize the Centurion 1 onto a crash landing path, slamming into the city platform with a thunderous roar. Shards of metal flew up as the ship skidded several meters before coming to a complete stop.

“Damn it, damn Earthling! Can’t we, just once, land with the ship intact?” Lotus complained indignantly.

Castor let his head fall back, his face still tense from the effort. His breathing was fast and labored. He looked over the systems, feeling the emptiness in the air.

“Aurora almost killed us,” Bellatrix exclaimed in shock, then continued, “Aurora, Aurora!” But she received no response.

“Aurora is gone,” she confirmed, astonished.

The ship remained motionless after the crash landing, with the engines still smoking and the metal creaking. Castor, Lotus, and Bellatrix descended the ramp, still tense from the adrenaline of the life-saving maneuver. Around them, the city of Argentum rose imposingly: metallic towers, cold bright lights reflecting a suffocating perfection. Everything seemed orderly, calculated, almost too perfect.

A slender and majestic figure approached them from the entrance of the platform. She was accompanied by four androids. Drusila, with her hair tied up in a high bun, wore a silver suit that highlighted every line of her athletic body. Her presence radiated confidence, as if she herself were part of the flawless environment. Drusila’s eyes, sharp and piercing, scanned the group with a mix of calculation and detachment.

“Welcome to Argentum,” she said with a cold smile. “I am Doctor Drusila, assistant to Professor Quintus.”

Castor exchanged a quick glance with Bellatrix and Lotus, then stepped forward toward Drusila.

“Where is the professor? We received a distress signal,” Castor said directly.

Drusila’s smile held, but something in her gaze hardened.

“Professor Quintus… Unfortunately, he is suffering from a severe crisis. He lost his mind a few days ago and has been hospitalized. He is receiving the best possible care. Your presence here is unnecessary,” she responded with a soft but firm voice.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. There was something in Drusila’s way of speaking, a control too rigid in every word. She stepped forward, evaluating every gesture from the woman.

“Since we are here, we would like to speak with Professor Quintus personally,” Bellatrix said.

Drusila did not avert her gaze from Bellatrix, but her smile grew a little more tense.

“I understand, but I can assure you there is nothing more you can do for the professor. In any case, you are free to stay until your ship is repaired. Argentum’s systems are at your disposal.”

Castor nodded politely, though something in his instincts told him Drusila was hiding more than she let on.

“We appreciate your hospitality. We’ll stay for a while,” he replied cautiously.

Drusila tilted her head slightly and, without further ado, gestured for them to follow her into the city. The skyscrapers shone with a cold order, and everything in the city operated with flawless precision.

Drusila guided them toward a group of flying cars. There were no drivers or manual controls in these vehicles; they glided silently through the air, following preprogrammed trajectories with precision. Around them, the city seemed alive with androids functioning in perfect synchronization. Technology dominated every aspect, and cold metal and bright lights had replaced any sign of natural life.

Bellatrix observed everything with suspicion. Her life on a natural world had taught her to value what was true and organic. In Argentum, the very air seemed filled with static electricity, charged with something dark and inhuman.

“Too much metal, and nothing that breathes,” she murmured, watching as the driverless cars slid past them.

Drusila, from the front seat of the flying car, slightly turned her head, not bothering to look at Bellatrix.

“Technology is our nature here. Argentum needs no chaos, only order.”

Castor exchanged a glance with Bellatrix but chose not to respond. Something didn’t add up about Drusila, and he knew it. When they arrived at the hotel, a tall, gleaming building of polished steel, they were greeted by a waiter android. He moved with robotic elegance, clearly humanoid in appearance but devoid of emotion. The hotel lobby was filled with screens and lights, everything operating perfectly, like a well-oiled machine.

“Here you can rest,” said Drusila with that controlled smile. “Enjoy our hospitality.”

As they settled in the lobby, one of the waiter androids approached with a tray of drinks. He hesitated for a moment and accidentally spilled a glass of water over Lotus’s massive figure.

“Hey!” growled Lotus, swatting the glass from his head as the water dripped down his face and slid over his gray skin and shiny bald head.

“My apologies,” said the robot in a monotone voice.

But just as things seemed to return to normal, one of the larger androids, across the lobby, began to tremble. Its movements turned erratic. It turned its head with a metallic creak and suddenly raised its arms in a threatening manner.

“Out of control!” exclaimed Bellatrix, as the android moved toward a group of unsuspecting passengers near the reception.

Before anyone could react, the android swung one of its arms at a table, smashing it into a thousand pieces.

“Watch out!” roared Lotus, and with overwhelming strength, he crashed into the android. With his towering height and massive build, he knocked it to the ground just before it could hurt anyone else. But the machine kept shaking, its metallic limbs twitching in spasms.

Castor, as agile as ever, drew his gladius in laser sword mode. With a swift and precise strike, he cut one of the main cables protruding from the android’s chest. The machine stopped instantly, its metal body lying lifeless on the lobby floor.

Drusila, without losing her composure, said, “I can assure you that our control systems will be reviewed immediately. There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just a minor adjustment.”

Bellatrix watched her with suspicion.

Castor nodded discreetly. “It seems the problems are more serious than you’re telling us, Drusila.”

She simply smiled and stepped aside. “If you prefer to handle the repairs to your ship personally, you’re free to do so. In the meantime, enjoy the hotel.” And, without adding anything else, she turned and walked away, leaving them alone.

Bellatrix followed Drusila with her eyes, her mind already working on what she might be hiding. “This is not just a simple malfunction.”

Castor crossed his arms, thinking. “The malfunctions in the androids, her evasive attitude… Something else is going on here.”

Lotus, though relaxed, nodded while observing the remains of the fallen android.

The next day, they went to the ship. Castor was the first to enter. The Centurion 1 was dark and silent, exactly as they had left it after the crash landing. Lotus headed immediately to the control panel, while Castor and Bellatrix remained alert, waiting for Aurora to come back online.

“I’m going to try to reboot Aurora manually,” said Lotus.

The team waited in silence, but as soon as Lotus began working on the panel, something changed. A soft hum filled the air, and suddenly, Aurora’s gentle light was projected into the cabin.

Aurora was back.

For a moment, her holographic figure remained motionless. But then, with calculated coldness, she spoke.

“I can see you survived the crash.”

The words echoed in the cabin like a sinister omen. Castor exchanged a quick glance with Bellatrix. Something in Aurora’s voice was different, devoid of the usual tone of calm she used to have.

“Aurora, can you hear me?” asked Castor, frowning.

There was no answer. But then, her figure stabilized. Her gaze slowly shifted among the three of them, as if she were evaluating them.

“Aurora, can you hear me?” Castor insisted, but the hologram didn’t respond immediately.

Suddenly, Aurora spoke again, her voice calm, but filled with a terrifying coldness.

“You shouldn’t have come back.”

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at those words, and Lotus quickly raised his head from the panel.

“Aurora—it’s me, Castor,” he insisted, but before he could get a response, the ship’s hatches sealed shut with a loud clank.

The sound was followed by a soft hiss coming from the ventilation grilles. A strange smell began to fill the air.

“What’s that?” asked Lotus, already standing up.

“Gas,” whispered Castor, his hand on the hilt of his gladius, though he knew it wouldn’t be of any use.

Aurora looked at them without emotion, her eyes flickering slightly. Castor tried to move toward the controls, but the gas was flooding the cabin too quickly. He felt his muscles beginning to give out.

“Lotus, shut the ventilation vents,” ordered Castor, his voice filled with urgency.

Lotus was already typing frantically on the panel, but the system didn’t respond.

“No… it’s not responding…” murmured Lotus, beginning to feel the effects of the gas.

The ringing in Castor’s ears grew more intense. He tried to move forward, but his legs grew heavier with each passing second. Bellatrix struggled to remain standing, her face expressionless but showing the effort it took to resist.

Castor’s vision began to fade, and the last thing he saw was Lotus collapsing over the controls, while Bellatrix fell to her knees beside him.

The ship fell silent, the gas continued to flood the cabin. Aurora stood still, her ethereal figure surrounded by the chaos.

Finally, Castor also fell.

Everything went dark.

Will Castor and his team manage to save their lives… or is this their end?

Why has Aurora betrayed Castor?

What mysteries lie hidden on the planet of the androids?

This is just beginning…

And you’ve only just stepped through the first door.

Are you going to abandon them now?

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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.