The Shark Tooth soon landed on a giant asteroid covered with brilliant colourful crystals – the well-known Daluma Asteroid full of everlasting energy, moving across the Raden Universe, never to be found on the same spot twice.

The Galaxy Pirate crew was met with honour and admiration by the Daluman population. The royal family came to personally greet them and express their respect. After all, Captain Arubah and, more importantly, his mother (since the Daluma regarded women as superior) were two of the last few descendants of the nearly-extinct Herminoid race – the ones to have created the Daluma thousands of millennia ago. The crystal people worshipped their creators as gods even nowadays. More so that Arubah and Maluma were not just Herminoids, but the Arruroe noble family as well, to possess the rarest Daluman energy – the Crimson Ardour.

Young Captain, his parents, his first-mate Baxus, his second-mate Jedha Mahut, his third-mate Prince Zehu Vaagard, his newly-accepted crew-member Violet, and this latter's father Gunther, were met in the harbour by the Vaagard royal family – Chiefess Ethna, Crown Princess Yuma, and Fourth Princess Zona, who happened to be Zehu's very twin.

"Brother Zehu!" she squeezed him in hugs and covered him in kisses. Zehu laughed and happily embraced her, apparently having longed for her quite a lot, since she was his other half born from the same green crystal. "Hello there, Bax! So nice to see you again, hothead!"

"Haha, likewise, Zona!"

"It is an honour for us to receive such divine guests as you, Lady Maluma, Lord Arubah," Ethna bowed to the two Herminoids and made her elder daughter Yuma bow too. "Your crewmates can rest in the hotel we've designed just for your arrivals. Your ship will be taken to the private royal dock. Meanwhile, you and your attendees are invited to the palace".

"You've honoured us quite a lot, Your Splendour!" Maluma returned a slight tilt of the head, showing her respect to the current chiefess of her fatherland, "Thank you immensely for your kindness!"

"This is nothing, Lady Maluma, in return for your divine protection, and, for taking care of my little son. I am to sleep calmly at nights knowing he's in such good hands," Ethna beamed with a tint of sorrow in her voice as she glanced at Zehu, who averted his gaze from her.

"No need to thank us, Your Splendour, Prince Zehu is like a son to me".

"Thanks for your effort, Your Splendour. It's appreciated. Now then, my people and I are really tired, so let's get down to business right away, shall we? I hope you've reserved some Daluman Crisp for me!"

"Aru! Seriously, no manners!"

Maluma palmed her face with irritation. Ethna instead laughed:

"Sure, Lord Arubah! It's rude of me to make you wait here when you've made such a long journey. Let's go".

The Shark Tooth was anchored at the main dock of the Crystal Palace, while the crewmates were taken to the private Crystal Hotel that was designed for the Shark Tooth Pirates, who would often visit the Daluma Asteroid to refill their engine energy. The friends followed the hosts right into the royal palace.

While walking through the corridors, Jedha cut into the royal conversation between Maluma, Arubah, and the chiefess:

"Your Splendour, if you'd deem me so worthy as to allow me a word..."

"Of course, Green Thunder Jedha! You may speak," Ethna gave him a faint, polite smile, which was not really able to overpower her prideful attitude of a queen and a woman in front of a peasant man of weak powers (since Jedha too, just like Yuma, possessed but faint light green energy). It was clearly evident, even to the casual humans such as Violet and Gunther, that the woman only respected Jedha as the second-mate of the godly child Arubah, so she urged herself to be a bit more polite and condescending to him than she'd be in general.

"It is not my place or right to dare utter a word in the presence of Your Splendour or Their Glowing Excellencies," Jedha began, following all the rules of his homeland since he was aware of the importance of the etiquette whilst in the royal palace, "but I was still curious, and I beg you not deem my curiosity as rudeness, about why Her Glowing Excellency Third Princess Hitha Vaagard has not shown up to meet Captain and his splendorous family. I know Her Glowing Excellency Princess Hitha is quite an honourable woman, who would never act against the laws of the Crystal Palace, so why, when even Your Splendour has graced us with her greeting, she was absent? I speak utterly out of curiosity. I apologize in advance".

"Oh, yeah, Jedha, you're right. Why has Hitha not shown up, Your Splendour? Is she upset with me or my boys?"

"Ah, no, nothing like that, Lord Arubah!" Ethna bowed as a sign of courtesy specifically to the Young Captain. She caught the moment to disregard Jedha's presence, responding to the captain instead as if he were the poser of the question. "She's just... You know she was always like this, melancholic, right? Her waves have started".

"Oh, I remember... Today's the day, isn't it?"

"Yes, Lord Arubah. Today's the day".

"Can't be helped, then," Arubah shrugged much in a careless manner, "Hitha has her own concerns. I don't blame her".

They soon accessed their resting rooms one by one. Arubah and his three mates – Baxus, Jedha, and Zehu – got a room together. Arubah's parents took a common chamber. Violet and Gunther were given separate rooms, but near each other (as per Arubah's request to the royalties) so that they could see each other easily if they wanted to.

While they were unpacking their items and Arubah, as always, clumsily ran around the chamber trying to find where he had put his night-robes, Jedha fell upon his bed with a heavy sigh:

"Here I hoped I'd meet her right away..."

"Ah, forbidden romance!" Baxus pulled a flirtatious face of the heavenly love, making Zehu burst in laughter and even causing Arubah to trip over his bag from the cackle.

"Shut up, explosion-brain... At least I'm not bashing on my best friend's twin sister".

"Yeah, but you're instead bashing on that same friend's elder sister".

Arubah and Zehu held their stomachs, so hard they laughed at Baxus' funny remarks and Jedha's irritated face-pulling. When the laughter subsided and Arubah was finally able to find his night-robes, he noted with a bitter smile:

"She's truly a poor little one, that Hitha, though".

"Tell that to Zehu here," Baxus rolled eyes, "He saw that whole incident and almost got stabbed by his own father back then".

"Aye, but the maiden's heart has a hard time getting over it".

"It was my fault all that disaster happened".

Zehu's green eyes flashed as he sent them the mind-message. It seemed the sense of shame and guilt had been gnawing his heart ever since the said incident of the past.

"Come on, you were just a kid! You saw your father die. Who wouldn't panic in that situation?"

"You certainly would not, Bax".

"I am a Bakhal, Zehu. There's a huge difference between the two of us".

"Yeah, don't blame yourself, Young Prince. That event was inevitable, it seems".

"Still, I can't help but wonder where he's been for all these years".

"I told you he's fine. That sneaky Burnmark wouldn't go rotten so easily".

"Crystal glow to your words, Captain. The way you told me of your adventures in the prison, was my ray of hope".

"Hold onto that ray of hope, amigo. I'm going to turn it into a shining sun".

***

The dinner time came. A lot of different Daluman dishes were placed on the table. The friends had quite a fun time with the royal hosts: Baxus, Zona, and Zehu conversed in Bakhal and amused one another with quirky jokes, while Arubah paid attention to every person at the table, and Maluma discussed important matters with the chiefess. Crown Princess Yuma was rather silent and reserved, apparently not quite comfortable with the pirate guests. Violet and Gunther preferred to follow Yuma's example and remain quiet about matters that did not concern them. They instead enjoyed delicious Daluman dishes, such as the world-famous Daluman Crisp, which Violet had already tasted back in the Galal City with mysterious Doctor D.

Jedha had two reasons for keeping himself silent: first – he was in the presence of royal women hence counted it out of place to talk too much, and second – Princess Hitha, whom he secretly admired, had not graced them with her attendance. He would faintly nod at Arubah's remarks from time to time when this latter directly asked for his approval to his statements, and that was all. At a certain moment, however, the chiefess announced quite an important event, so he couldn't help but lend an ear with attention:

"Tomorrow, I shall publicly resign from my post and hold the ceremony for my dearest daughter Princess Yuma's coronation. Lady Maluma, Lord Arubah, you and all of your crewmates are invited to personally attend the occasion and give our princess your divine blessing, just like it was a custom for the Herminoids to bless our newly-crowned chiefesses in the past, before that tragic day".

Maluma heaved a sigh – she knew Chiefess Ethna was talking about the explosion of Planet Hermin, where she had been raised and was but a ten-thousand-year-old child back then.

Arubah comfortingly placed a hand on Maluma's shoulder, giving her a faint, but loving smile. Her human husband's sturdy arm embraced her too, sending her all the warmth he possessed. It made her sorrowful countenance brighten with a gracious smile.

"I am grateful for your offer, Your Splendour. We will definitely give our blessing to your glowing child".

"Ah, that is wonderful to hear! Thank youimmensely, Lady Maluma, Lord Arubah!"

***

When the dinner finished, the hosts and the guests retired to their bedrooms – everyone but Jedha. He instead walked up to the final floor of the palace and knocked on a certain green door adorned with beautiful dark green crystals.

A messy-green-haired girl with a bluish complexion of a slave opened the door and glared out at him:

"Didn't I say this room was locked for visitors during these five days_ Ah, Green Thunder Jedha?! How come you're_ Dang, you guys were coming today?!"

She slammed the door right before astonished Jedha's nose. Nervous cries emerged from the door – apparently, this same weird maiden was not alone in the chamber:

"Your Glowing Excellency, it is a disaster – Green Thunder has arrived! They were coming today, yet you didn't even attend the dinner. What will Lord Captain think? Screw that blockhead – what will Lady Maluma think? Your Glowing Excellency, it's my fault – I should've thrown you outside by force when I knew this was to happen!"

"Quiet down, Ahimi, I have a headache!" another voice sounded from beyond the door, making butterflies run in Jedha's stomach – it was that sweet angel he had yearned for, during all these years of voyages through distant galaxies and universes, far from his home asteroid. "I'm on my waves. Furthermore, today's that rotten-crystal day of... Ugh, don't make me remember it, please! Just leave me alone".

"But Your Glowing Excellency, the boy's at your very door!"

"Wait, you said Green Thunder has come too?"

"Yes, for glowing crystal's sake, Princess! Please, pay attention to what I'm saying! He's at this very door right now. What should I do?"

"Are you crazy, Ahimi – making the guy stand there so casually?! What if the rotten guards see him? Those insolent men will definitely inform my mom, and then crystals know what might happen to us!"

Soft but hasty steps approached the door andpulled it open, to reveal a middle-sized girl of over eighteen-glow-years, withdark green hair falling down her back and shoulders, and wise, blazing deepgreen eyes.

"J... Jedha?"

"Your Glowing Excellency Princess Hitha, I... I am so sorry for disturbing you!" Jedha dropped to his knees and bashed his forehead down to the floor.

"What are you doing, you idiot? Come here!" Hitha pulled him right into the chamber and slammed the door behind, "If those rotten guards see you, I will get beaten up later, while you sleep soundly on your ship! Ahimi, the curtains, quick – cover us from all those spying eyes!"

Ahimi, her messy-haired personal servant and friend, quickly pulled the curtains. The room grew darker, not letting any light or any 'spying eyes' penetrate through. Hitha now dashed at Jedha and knocked him down to the floor, laughing with happy tears, not able to hold emotions like any Daluman woman during their wave attacks (it was special emotional outbreaks occurring at the same intervals of the crystal glows defined as Daluman months):

"Jedha, you're back! I've missed you so much! You rotten crystal of a junk, where were you for all this time? I missed those days when I saw you on the fence of my Crystal Palace as you would sneak into our private territory and retell me various stories about your swordfights!"

"Your Glowing Excellency, relax, it was ages ago when we were still young. I was always a lowly peasant, and a weak one, at that... Your splendorous family would never tolerate my approaching you. The way I am permitted to cross the threshold of this palace is due to my Captain Emperor's grace_"

"Shut up, you green junk! Do not call me 'Your Glowing Excellency' when we're alone! How many times have I told you? For you, I'm just Hitha!"

"Okay, calm down, Princess_"

"I said Hitha!"

Ahimi coldly watched her mistress shed tears and yell at the sturdy young pirate, shaking him back and forth. When finally she let him go, Jedha heaved a deep sigh and embraced her tightly, making her grow red:

"I've missed you so much, Hitha, my dearest..."

***

Hitha placed her recently-arrived sweetheart on the bed beside her and plied him with all sorts of questions about his adventures. Jedha retold her of their many voyages across the Seven Universes and the new member of their crew – Violet; of how she was brought to Young Captain by Captain Sinbad as a gift for the Root Cherishing Day, picked up by his crew after they blew up the famous restaurant – Yordie's Inn – on Planet Irahor; and how Violet turned out to be a maternal cousin of Baxus Meelias, whom Hitha's younger sister Zona had long fallen for. He added that Violet was Zehu's good friend too. He did not forget to tell about Gunther either, whom Young Captain had pitied after the attack on a navy ship, and who turned out to be Violet's father, hence Baxus' very uncle. Hitha then told him of her own affairs – the monotonous and dull life in the Crystal Palace, and her talentless and haughty elder sister Yuma, who was to be crowned the very next day.

"I don't want to brag, and I have no intentions of assuming the throne, but I can freely say that even I, Yuma's younger sister, possess far more talents than her – I have, after all, mastered the dark green energy, while Yuma doesn't even have a decent green colour, but light one! I... I know it is a painful matter to you, my dearest green junkie, but I believe you are aware that I never judge people by their talents. However, when it concerns ruling our kingdom which constantly moves across space, having a large amount of powerful energy is a must. Otherwise, one won't be able to control the trajectory of this asteroid and we might meet our doom, blasting into some planetary matter! So, even though it isn't necessary for every Daluma to possess strong energy, for our ruler it is a definite requirement".

"I am fully aware you had no ill intentions towards me when you spoke thus about your sister, my glowing love, so I dare not hold any grudge against you. I actually agree with your observant opinion – our ruler should hold great powers in order to guide this asteroid well".

"I am truly the happiest woman to have such an understanding friend. I hate these stupid rules so much! They forbid me to choose my man on my own, and force me to marry one who would have strong energy in order to bear worthy off-springs. I am not even an heiress to my mother, so why the rotten crystal shouldn't I be able to choose the man whom I genuinely love? Why do I need good breeders? Who cares about my children's strength? They're not going to become rulers anyway!"

Jedha didn't know what to say, for he could fully realise the princess was right – they could never be together due to the unfair rules of their country.

"If he were to become a chief, it would all have been different..."

"He? Who are you talking about, Hitha?"

"Today's the day my father died, Jedha – the day I lost two important men in my life. One of them was the closest to my heart out of my whole family – my eldest brother".

"You're talking about Dohta Vaagard – the one who killed your father with his own hands?"

"That happened by accident. It was not Dohta's, but father's fault. Father was way too dark-hearted. I know it, because, on that day, I looked into Dohta's eyes and could read out all that had happened. Zehu too had a hard time recovering from the mental injuries after we lost our father and brother – he saw all those atrocities with his own eyes and was even threatened to death by our father. He could never forgive himself calling upon the elders because that was the very act that caused Dohta such calamities. We saw him burn by the hands of our mother. Imagine innocent little Zehu's anguish and sense of guilt, beholding his dearest older brother's punishment! It was a hideous day for all of us. Today, fifteen glows have passed since then, yet the pain in our hearts remains..."

Her tears and sobs cut her speech. Jedha's sturdy arms embraced her right away, to calm her in the soft clutch:

"Hitha, dearest, I know Zehu has informed you already, but I shall still repeat, to at least somehow ease your pain: Prince Dohta has already long freed himself from the Star-Rover Prison. Lord Captain was a prisoner there and he has known your brother. They were close friends. They blew up the prison together and ran for it".

"I know. Zehu has told me and Zona via our telepathic crystal, long ago. It cannot completely ease my pain, even though I thank you immensely for your kind intention. Even if he ran away from that torturous place, what happened to him afterwards? After the Star-Rover incident, seven glows have passed. It is too long of a time".

"Captain always mentions that Dohta was of a fierce character and would make it through any hardship, so I believe there is nothing to worry about".

"I wish I were to see Young Captain's memories of my big brother... Zehu did mention he had been shown those visions, but he couldn't send them through our crystal since it might be caught by my mother's or Yuma's eyes".

"Well then, why don't you ask the captain in person, right now? I don't think he would mind".

"I can't possibly ask him about it. Your captain creeps me out even on usual days with that hideous Herminese gaze of his. Now, during such emotional outbreaks of mine, it'd feel even more terrifying".

"What are you talking about?" Jedha laughed, "He's not someone to be so afraid of. Not just me, but your very own brother is his close friend. Even Zona enjoys his company".

"Zona is a carefree child, and I've got a lot of worries on my shoulders".

"Trust me. Let's go together. If you long so much to see those visions about your brother, you should ask Captain about it. Otherwise, it'll gnaw your heart forever. I don't want my dearest crystal to cry hot tears when the solution is so close next door. I'll speak to him. You just stay close to me. I'm his second-mate and a long-time friend. I know the ways of dealing with him. This is the least I can do for you".

Jedha led Hitha out of the room through a hidden passage only Ahimi – Hitha's faithful servant – knew about.

They arrived in a certain remote part of the palace. Hitha looked around cautiously and, getting assured there were no guards, turned to him:

"So, where are you guys resting?"

"Actually, this is the place," Jedha was quite astounded that they needed but a single hidden passage to get to his room when, just some minutes ago, he had to cross so many corridors and stairs to visit the princess.

"Wow, I didn't know you were situated in such a far-off part of the palace".

"There's nothing you can do. We are a noisy bunch, especially when Captain runs the room".

"What do you mean_"

"Hahaha!!!"

From a certain green door, loud laughs and bangs came.

"That is exactly what I meant".

Jedha led the astonished princess to that very noisy door and knocked on it. Obviously, nobody answered since they could hardly hear any other sounds than their own inside the chamber. Jedha pushed the door open and took the princess in, to freeze right at the threshold – his three roommates Captain, Baxus, and Zehu, had turned on a crystal-vision device on a high volume and were watching an intergalactic battle of two famous wrestlers: a Nature Bakhal named Hulabu from Planet Hobgo in the Bakhassa Universe, and a Dionoid named Gector from Planet Dion in the Raden Universe. They munched rainbow-crystal snacks and at each important knock-down yelled at full force in Bakhal language, which was even noisier than any other languages:

"Woohoo, go, Hulabu!"

"It's five micro-glows after the round began. I won, muchachos, give me the booze!"

Arubah, dressed in his scarlet night-robes, hit his two comrades on shoulders. They gave him two bottles of Crystal Beer – a special Daluman alcoholic drink – from their own piles. They had thus piled up over fifty Crystal Beer bottles and were giving them to one another according to the bets they made while watching the heated show.

"We're still far from done. I'm going to win this round!" Baxus hit his stone fist to the floor, almost making it crack.

"Sore loser! Well then, betting Hulabu will knock him down in three micro-glows this time. I play two bottles. What's your bet?"

"He'll make it in five like before," Zehu shrugged, "I play three bottles".

"I play five and it'll be one micro-glow game!"

"Round five begins now!" the anchorman yelled from out of the crystal-vision device. The metal gong rang loudly. The battlers clashed with each other yet once again.

"Go, Hulabu!" Baxus roared, "Win me the booze!"

"No, he's kind of injured, I'm going to win".

"Shut up, muchachos, I will be the_"

"Baja el volumen, Arubah!"

(TRANSLATION: Turn down the volume, Arubah! (Spanish). Adapted to the futuristic language of Hispanish in this novel).

The ferocious yell of Roderigo Alvarez sounded from across the wall and frightened not only the three boys but Jedha and Hitha as well, who had long been at the threshold.

"Pero papá, hay una batalla sensacional!"

(TRANSLATION: But dad, there's a thrilling battle! (Spanish). Adapted to the futuristic language of Hispanish in this novel).

"Cállate, idiota!"

(TRANSLATION: Shut up, idiot! (Spanish). Adapted to the futuristic language of Hispanish in this novel).

This time, the fierce shout was followed by a loud buzz of a laser-gun. Baxus sprang in fright:

"He's loading a bazooka there?!"

"Damn, so annoying... I can't even enjoy my vacation!"

Arubah reluctantly snapped his fingers and the crystal device lowered the volume so that the whole chamber silenced down at once. Only now, when the situation had gotten more or less calm, the boys managed to spot their visitors at the threshold:

"Princess Hitha?!"

"Jedha, what gives? Couldn't you knock?" Arubah snapped his fingers again, now making the crystal device pause, "We're watching a live transmission here!"

"Pardon me, Captain, but I've been here for twenty mini-glows already, yet you guys are so drawn into those bloody showdowns that you haven't even noticed. Her Glowing Excellency Princess Hitha has asked me to escort her to you on a very important matter".

"I am sorry... I guess I shouldn't have agreed on coming, after all. I only caused you trouble_"

Hitha's arm was clutched by a sturdy hand. She flinched and turned back, to behold the captain watch her with a calm, placid expression, his ferociousness gone all at once:

"I apologize for the mess you've come to contemplate, Princess Hitha. We haven't been expecting you. However, it does not mean we won't welcome you, especially after the fact that you've been absent when we arrived".

"I am sorry for my rudeness of before! I_"

"It's all good, we've been told the reasons," Arubah hit her on a shoulder in a friendly manner. "Why are you here, though? I hear you are having waves these days. I figured you wouldn't step out of your room at all".

"Uhm, I..."

"You know today's the day when Prince Dohta left this kingdom, right, Captain? Hitha's been longing for him so we wondered if you could show her your memories of the Star-Rover Prison".

"I beg you!" Hitha gathered up her courage and clutched surprised Arubah's shirt, piercing his eyes with her tearful ones, "I need to see how Dohta has been! Even if it was only seven glows ago_"

"I refuse".

"What gives, Captain?"

"This is not something a fragile maiden heart such as Hitha's should see, Jedha. But, I can disclose this much, Princess, since you are on your waves and I'd want to ease your pain – your brother Dohta was a person who would never give up on his ambitions and was witty and sly enough to execute his plans. I don't know how and when, but I am fully certain that you shall see him again and not once".

"H... How are you so sure?"

"I am always sure. I am sorry Hitha, but that is all I can say".

"Captain, you can't be serious!"

"No, Jedha, it's fine. Thank you very much for your kindness, Captain. Goodnight boys".

Hitha kissed Jedha on a cheek and left the room.

"Why couldn't you just fulfill her request, Captain? It was I who offered her the idea!"

"You expected me to show her all those atrocities we'd been undergoing and doing in that hellish place? Jedha, I know you love Hitha and want the best for her, so I did the best for her – she can't possibly bear seeing her brother at that stage of his life. I showed those images to Zehu because he's been a bloody warden of a Daluman prison in his early years. I can't possibly show the same visions to Hitha – an innocent maiden with a pure heart!"

Jedha wanted to reply, but beholding the captain's eyes sparkle like fiery embers, changed his mind and fell upon a bed with a sigh – not only was he unable to connect his heart to the princess due to the vile laws of the asteroid, but he couldn't even fulfill a single desire of hers.

Arubah's sharp eyes couldn't miss Jedha's sorrow. He spent the whole night reflecting upon it, in search of the most favourable plan that would benefit both him and his friends.