The Hunter's Prize

The quiet hum of the Nomad was almost deafening as we embarked on our journey through the cosmos. It was Gramps and I now, with Ravager in our hold, his menacing figure subdued and silent. Our ship, now a mobile prison, had one mission - turn Ravager in for the bounty.

"Moe, we need to talk," Gramps broke the silence, his weathered face lined with worry.

"I know," I replied, avoiding his gaze. "I shouldn't have taken that risk with Ravager and the comet, but it worked out, didn't it?"

Gramps frowned, "Son, it's not just about what happened. It's about what's coming next."

He was right, of course. We had managed to pull off an incredible heist, but the real challenge lay ahead. We had to keep Ravager under control, keep him alive, and keep him from making a mess in our ship.

Hours turned into days as we navigated through the star-strewn abyss, adjusting to our new reality. We secured Ravager in the cargo hold, transforming it into a makeshift cell. We rigged up a simple sanitation system that wouldn't require us to get too up close and personal with our captive.

While we busied ourselves with these preparations, Ravager watched us, his eyes gleaming with cold amusement. His first words were not a plea for mercy or a threat, but a chuckle, followed by, "You two really think you've outsmarted us, don't you?"

"We've got you tied up on our ship, heading towards a hefty bounty," I retorted, a bit too smugly. "I'd say we're pretty smart."

"You're a fool," Ravager growled, "My crew will find me."

"They'll have a hard time doing that," I shot back, the memory of the discarded tracker in the comet's crevasse still fresh in my mind. "Your tracker is floating somewhere in the debris of Comet 'Ilium', remember?"

The laughter that erupted from Ravager was chilling, a deep belly laugh that echoed around the ship. "You think that was my only tracker, kid?" he sneered, his gaze steady on mine. "My crew put a tracker on this ship the moment you boarded ours."

My heart pounded in my chest as I processed his words. A wave of fear washed over me, quickly replaced by a surge of determination. I turned away, hiding my concern from both Gramps and Ravager. We had overcome so much, I wasn't going to let Ravager's threats derail us.

Suddenly, the intercom crackled to life. It was the ship's automated communication system. "Unidentified ship approaching. High-speed pursuit trajectory. Estimated arrival in minutes."

A cold chill spread through the cockpit. The hunt was on. The pirates were coming.

We had Ravager, but our voyage was far from over. This was the beginning of a treacherous journey, and we were the prey in a deadly game of cat and mouse. But there was no turning back. The Voidrunner was ready for the challenge.