Not sure why Bastien was asking, Hauk slid his hand toward his blaster again. Just in case. “Yeah.”

“You guys really declare war on The League?”

Hauk relaxed a degree as he heard the hatred backing those words. “Definitely.”

“Then can you get this fucking chip out of me?”

Hauk winced inwardly at the man’s fate and his justified outrage over it. Ravins were the targets League cadets were assigned to kill for practice and rank. As Gyron Force, Bastien would be a most coveted prize by a cadet wanting to advance. He could only imagine how many had sought to take his life. It was a nightmare he wished on no one.

“Absolutely. How long have you been implanted?”

Bastien curled his lip. “Almost eight full minsid years.”

Hauk let out a low whistle of appreciation that Bastien had lived so long. Average life span for a Ravin was six to eight weeks. Because they were tagged and hunted so viciously, they couldn’t risk being in any civilian population. Relegated to hellholes like this one, many ended up taking their own lives just to stop their suffering. It was physically and psychologically grueling to be hunted like an animal.

“Damn long time to be on the run.”

“What can I say? I’m a stubborn bastard, fueled by venom and vengeance.” Sighing, Bastien finally relaxed as he approached Hauk. “So is that your family you’re traveling with?”

This time, Hauk did draw his blaster and pinned it right between Bastien’s eyes again. “What do you know of them?”

Bastien held his hands up. “Nothing. I saw your camp a few days ago. Being hunted, I make it a point to check out anyone who lands here. I figured you were on a hiking trip of some sort, so I left you alone and went away. Seems to be some kind of Andarion thing around here. But usually it’s only two Andarions at a time and they leave after a few weeks. Though why you guys want to vacation here, I cannot imagine. You are one fucked-up species.”

Snorting, Hauk holstered his blaster. If the man only knew… “Have you been here the whole eight years?”

“Most of them. Once I realized the magnetic field and radiation play havoc with tracking devices, I decided Shithole Central suited me fine enough.”

Hauk snorted at that. “Doesn’t seem to be playing with mine. They haven’t had any problems tracking me.”

“Ah… that’s why they keep hitting you. Wondered about that.” Bastien frowned. “So who wants you dead?”

“That’s what I’m going to find out.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Bastien nodded. “I guess being Sentella, you have a lot of friends who want to play with you.”

“Yeah, but I’d rather take my ball and go home.”

Bastien laughed. “Why do I doubt that?”