Chapter 55

The man grit his teeth in anger, clearly not wanting to believe whatever it was that had actually happened. "She was given to them as a peace offering by her sister."

"That's not wise at all. Gordanians won't leave forever just because they got a prize. The citadel doesn't take peace offerings, they take tribute." Naruto scoffed. Did that sister really know anything about their enemy race? When the Gordanians realised that they weren't going to be given anything after Starfire, they'd resume their attacks.

"We are all aware of that," Koji'rar sighed. "Maybe even Komand'r. I know her actions are more out of hatred for her sister than an actual desire for peace. We, her relatives, were unable to do anything about it for our ruler's say is supreme."

"You could have challenged her for rulership." Naruto said.

"And what would it change? Even if I won, Koriand'r would not be any less taken and the Gordanians would not be appeased simply because of a change in rulership."

"True. But that doesn't explain why you're here rather than in Tamarand. I imagine you'd be somehow needed there." Naruto said, wiping the sweat off his forehead. This was why he hated coming to planet Mzulft. It had a giant sun, boiling hot rain, perpetual steaming mud, dirt poor citizens and it was a hotspot for the lowest criminals. Even in the Afltamd system, it was considered the poorest planet.

And this cursed jāātra smoke made it worse for him.

"I..am in hiding." Koji'rar admitted, causing Naruto to raise an eyebrow. "Komand'r has been finding ways to get rid of us. She clearly wished to allow the Gordanians to take Tamarand. And she has begun taking steps."

Find new ways to condemn them and have them imprisoned or executed, let them get 'ambushed' by Gordanian forces in a stroke of bad luck or simply assassinate them. There were many ways to get rid of powerful relatives. And Koji'rar had been one of the few or the only one smart or non-patriotic enough to develop suspicions and flee

before he could be proven right.

"Hmm, alright. But it's a bit late for you to be asking me to help save your niece, don't you think?" Naruto asked, grimacing when he heard the blare of a horn signifying a conflict had broken out on the streets.

"Not exactly. They have not reached the citadel yet. If the information I received is correct, then she has been held captive on Kihjish-V for four months alongside multiple others. But she will be moved in a day."

Ah, that explained the conversation with the Bolovaxians. A few of them who were green lanterns were assigned to patrol the same sector that place was in.

Kihjish-V was the moon of a planet he couldn't remember the name of in System Gdis; more known as sector 2. The same sector as some of the less technologically advanced planets such as earth and the now destroyed Krypton.

"That's a three day journey from here, Koji," Naruto said. "Unless I lightfold all the way there, which I can't."

"I anticipated that," Koji'rar said."Which is why I bought a hisuku-class lightfold engine."

Naruto made a sound at the back of his throat in an attempt not to make his surprise too visible. Hisuku-class lightfold engines were rare and for good reason. They were made to create a faster form of lightfold travel via cannoning the ship to achieve faster than light travel. It worked but it tore a weak ship apart in less than an hour.

Consequently, production of the engines were discontinued but the ones produced were still in circulation on the black markets. They were good for making getaways but even traversing the distance between a planet and its moon could tear a lesser ship apart.

He had no idea if he wanted to actually test if his ship could withstand the journey but sector 674 was less than a day's travel away at light speed and he was mildly certain he would survive.

"Where'd you even get one?" Naruto asked, trying to keep the hysteria out of his voice. Koji'rar smiled at him, clearly pleased at having been the one to surprise the other this time.

"That is for me to know. If you are capable of bringing Koriand'r back, it is yours to keep. Along with money." He said, causing Naruto to narrow his eyes.

"You're excessively generous for someone who just wants his niece back," he accused. "Are you planning on starting a new civilization with her or something?"

Koji'rar gave him a disgusted look. "By Xahl, no! Starfire is perhaps the only means of survival Tamarand has left. Loathe as I am to admit it, we're little more than aimless warriors without a leader to command us."

He shook his head. "And she cannot aid us if she is spending her days fighting in gladiatorial arenas and having her grebnacks sampled by anyone with enough money."

"Placing that much faith in a single person might bring about your downfall, Koji." Naruto said and sighed. "Now, what do you know about their travel plans?"