Ellis Scalorr's Arc

Chapter 1 of 2

Ellis Scalorr crouched behind a stack of cargo crates, watching his target slip through another portal. The shimmering gateway closed before Ellis could follow. He clenched his clawed fist. One day, he'd master portal tech better than any bounty hunter in Nereidum. Then no criminal could ever escape him again. Ellis stood and dusted off his vest. He needed to learn more about portals. The old library structure made of red stone held records of Nereidum's past. Maybe someone had tried portal tech before and failed. Their mistakes could teach him what worked and what didn't. He checked his belt and headed toward the ancient building. The red stone walls rose high above the street. Inside, data crystals lined the shelves. Ellis pulled one down and activated it. Holographic images flickered to life, showing failed portal experiments from decades ago. He smiled. This was exactly what he needed. Hours passed as Ellis studied the crystal records. Scientists had tried unstable power cores. Their portals collapsed or sent subjects to random locations. Some never opened at all. Ellis's tail twitched with excitement. He understood what went wrong now. The hologram showed one final image—a laboratory built for portal research. The facility had been abandoned after the experiments failed. Ellis memorized the coordinates. That lab would have equipment he could use. He could test his own ideas there, learn from the old mistakes, and build something better. Ellis deactivated the crystal and placed it back on the shelf. He walked outside into the dim light. The laboratory waited for him somewhere on this planet. There, he would perfect his portal technology. No target would escape him again. He adjusted his vest and started walking. His dream was close now. He could feel it. The barren landscape stretched before him as Ellis approached the abandoned facility. Metal surfaces gleamed under Nereidum's pale sky. Inside, portal machinery sat dormant but intact. Ellis ran his clawed hand over a control panel. Dust scattered across the sleek surface. The equipment still had power. He could work here. A small repair droid rolled out from behind a generator. Its retro design looked clumsy but functional. Ellis picked it up and examined its circuits. Perfect. He could practice his capture techniques on this droid before chasing real criminals. The little machine would help him test portal coordinates and timing. Ellis set the droid down and powered up the main console. The laboratory hummed to life around him. This was his workspace now. This was where he would become the best portal-tech bounty hunter in the system.