Galactic Overlord (rewrite)

Year 1 BBY

          -Akkadia, Ashur star system-

I was on the Great Golden Plains where the barley grew golden in the harvest season. Like the kings of Akkad and many leaders before me, I indulge in the activities of hunting. When animals like lions and others like hyenas and more roamed the land, causing havoc, people would form hunting bands. Other times, it was for good sport and my current hunt was for such a thing. Perhaps I enjoyed the thrill of the hunt;  the feeling of the danger and adrenaline in your body as you ran, chasing the mighty beasts atop your trusted steed and with your escort.

I took the plasma hunter-bow that was my father's, one of the few things from my old home that survived the attack many years prior, which was now my own. As my father taught me, I respectfully held the bow before my body and then raised it. I gave it a kiss and then raised it above my head, then down to my body. I repeated this three times before finally pulling on the string and a plasma arrow came.

My guards were here as was my sister also. Her face covered by a veil and chains of fine gold were in front of her face, running down to her body. My escort watched as I rode my mighty hunting chariot in the golden fields and I caught the glimpse of a lone lion. I took aim, took in breath and then fired. The lion roared in pain and ran but the others went to throw in the net. I shot some more times and the lion was finally dead. We took it's carcass so that it can be brought back to the capital city of Nineveh and in my palace of Khorsabad. Altogether, we had hunted a pack of hyenas, some deer, some leopards, wild bulls and some lions.

''A hunt not wasted, Sal.'' My uncle Kazzim, an enthusiast when it came to hunting, remarked. ''That ones a mighty strong one, the lion.'' My uncle said, pointing to the carcass. ''No doubt you certainly are my nephew. Nice trophy on your walls, wouldn't you say Sal?''

''I guess it would, uncle.'' I replied and the other hunters escorting us were loading up the lion's carcass. ''Something wrong, Hadad?'' I asked. ''You seem rather gloomy.''

''No. It's nothing, Sal.'' Hadad replied. ''If we told people back in Larsa you would be one day hunting lions, they'd think I'd gone mad. I mean, you back then wasn't quite like current you.'' he said and I chuckled a bit.

''They'd hardly believe it like you going thin one day.'' I said back jokingly.

''You really had to do that?''

''It's not your first lion hunt is it, Sal?'' my bodyguard and concubine, Inanna, asked me. ''And that plasma-bow...''

''Not my first, Inanna.'' I answered. ''Escorted uncle Kazzim, cousin Raggal and a few others when I was 12 years old. Of course, I already survived Hatti when I was 10, so, wasn't quite worried. My first real lion hunt came after I returned my canpaigns. My aunt thought it be best if I learned more and I came along with cousin Raggal to hunt. As for this plasma-bow, it belonged to my father. One of the few things that was intact after the Larsa attack.''

''You seem to really enjoy hunting, Sal.'' Inanna remarked. ''Not that I'm saying it's bad or anything, just saying that you seemed to enjoy it.''

''If you think I'm enthusiastic about hunting, you don't know my uncle Kazzim really well. He hunted throughout the galaxy all sorts of wildlife. He hunted over a hundred wookies, a hundred trandoshians, sea beasts in Naboo and survived Felucia.'' I casually replied not as an insult or rebuttal but as a statement to uncle Kazzim's prowess in hunting. A thing he and his family were quite proud of.

''How does it feel?'' Tina Lykos asked Captain Kassus. ''The hunt. How does it feel to hunt animals, captain?''

''I guess you could say... I've come to quite enjoy the experience and the thrill, girl.'' Captain Kassus answered. ''I first accompanied the grand general with me cousin Gary years back. We hunted lions and then we got attacked by a water snake. I remember that day as if it were yesterday. Thought I'd fuckin' die that day when that snake emerged.''