Captured by the Yandere Space Pirates

Vera stood frozen in the bridge's dim glow, her purple wavy hair catching the flicker of the consoles, her purple eyes wide, breath shallow, as the medic bay's audio feed played through her earpiece.

Olivia's scream—"Your sister raped him!"—hit like a shockwave, followed by Aster's wail, the truth about Syn's ordeal with Ila spilling out in brutal detail.

Vera's heart raced, her mind scrambling to piece it together.

Syn, caught by Ila, tortured, violated, three years ago, Vera, Pako, and Aster had been left behind, abandoned when he ditched the pirates without a word.

Her thoughts darkened, connecting dots that painted a damning picture: Syn had flirted with Ila, the Kingdom's heir, to manipulate her, to seize power, using his charm like a weapon. And them?

Vera, Pako, Aster—were they just tools for his rebellion, pawns discarded when a shinier prize appeared?

A bitter thought clawed its way up, cold and vicious: He deserved it.

Whatever Ila did—her cruelty, her assault—Syn had earned it, hadn't he?

Flirting with women, stringing them along, giving them hope, then leaving them high and dry.

He'd betrayed the pirates, left them to rot, to face the Kingdom's wrath, while he played his game with a psychopath.

Vera's hands clenched, her nails biting into her palms, her captain's coat suddenly heavy.

She'd taken Syn's place, led the pirates through chaos, kept them alive, while he was off swaying Ila, toying with her, replacing them with a more powerful piece on his chessboard.

For the first time in years, hate surged through her, raw and unyielding, for the man she'd loved, fought for, bled for.

"Fucking bastard," she muttered, voice a venomous hiss, her purple eyes glinting with something unhinged.

Her composure—her captain's mask—cracked, replaced by a twisted fury.

In her mind, she saw herself pinning Syn down, fingers around his throat, choking him as she claimed him, punishing him for his betrayal.

The thought was vile, intoxicating, and it snapped something deep inside her.

She'd been on edge since the public display of Ila killing Syn, but this—knowing he'd chosen Ila, used her, left them—was the final break. She thought it was all Ila, but maybe, it was Syn all along.

Vera stormed out of the bridge, her boots pounding the corridor, her purple hair trailing like a comet's tail, her heart a furnace of betrayal.

She had to face Syn, to rip the truth from him, to make him feel the weight of what he'd done.

Vea reached Pako's room, the door hissing open, revealing a scene that twisted the knife deeper.

Syn and Pako sat on the bed, comics strewn across the shimmering navy-blue blanket—Poiderman, Tatman, vibrant pages under soft light.

Pako's black bob framed her face, her black lace camisole and matching shorts hugging her curves, her arm brushing Syn's as she laughed, carefree, oblivious. Syn's dark hair was tousled, gray shirt loose, hazel eyes warm, unaware of the storm crashing in.

"Oh, Vera!" Syn said, looking up, smile easy, blind to her rage. "Want to join? Pako's got a killer comic stash." His voice was light, as if he hadn't shattered their world.

Vera's purple eyes blazed, her curvaceous frame rigid, captain's coat a dark silhouette.

"Pako!" she snapped, voice a whip, cutting the room's warmth. "I need Syn alone. Get out. Now."

Syn's smile dropped, hazel eyes narrowing, confusion flickering, his scar catching the light. Pako froze, her grin fading, expressive eyes darting between them, the lace camisole shifting as she tensed.

"What's wrong, Vera?" Syn asked, voice cautious, sensing the venom, his body stiffening.

Vera's glare was ice, her voice sharper, an order. "Pako, leave. I won't repeat myself."

Pako's brows shot up, her petite frame bristling, but Vera's expression—raw, unhinged, dangerous—stopped her cold.

"Vera, what's going on?" she asked, voice soft, but instead of leaving, she slid closer to Syn, arms wrapping around him, her breasts pressing against his side through the lace, a defiant shield. "I'm not going anywhere. We're in this together."

Vera's lips twisted, a bitter laugh escaping, her purple hair swaying as she stepped forward.

"You don't know what he did, Pako. In the Kingdom, when he ditched us, left us to die while he played with Ila." Her voice shook, anger and hurt colliding, her hands trembling, betrayal a fresh wound.

"What?" Pako's voice was small, her arms loosening, eyes searching Syn's face, doubt creeping in, the lace shorts catching the light as she shifted.

Syn gently pushed her back, his hazel eyes darkening, rising from the bed, standing to face Vera, posture tense.

"Vera, it's not what you think," he said, voice urgent, low, his scar stark. "You're jumping to conclusions, and I get why, but let me—"

"Conclusions?" Vera cut him off, voice rising, mocking, venomous, her purple eyes flashing.

"Will you deny it, Syn? That you flirted with Ila, romanced the Kingdom's heir, after you walked out on us? Left us to rot, to dodge the Kingdom's hunters, while you chased her throne?"

She stepped closer, coat brushing the bed, words a blade. "Or that we were just tools, slaves who obeyed your every word, mindless robots you tossed when you found a better toy in Ila?"

Syn's face paled, hazel eyes wide, her accusations hitting like blows.

Pako's breath hitched, her expressive eyes glistening, tears welling as she stood, lace camisole clinging to her.

"Is that true, Syn?" she whispered, voice breaking, her playful fire snuffed out, betrayal a knife in her chest. "Did you use us? Leave us for her?"

Before Syn could answer, Vera lunged, her hands shooting out, fingers clamping around Syn's throat, squeezing hard, her purple eyes wild, unhinged.

"You bastard!" she screamed, her curvaceous frame shaking, her nails digging into his skin, red marks blooming. "You betrayed us, played us, and for what? Her?" Syn gasped, hands clawing at hers, hazel eyes bulging as he struggled, feet stumbling back against the bed.

"Vera, stop!" Pako shrieked, her black bob bouncing as she threw herself at Vera, grabbing her arms, tugging desperately, her lace shorts shifting in the struggle.

"You're killing him!" Her tears streamed, her strength no match for Vera's rage, but she yanked harder, voice raw. "Let him go, please!"

Aster burst through the door, the hiss of it barely audible over the chaos, her blonde ponytail swinging, teal eyes wide with alarm.

"What the hell's happening?" she shouted, taking in Vera strangling Syn, Pako pulling, the room a battlefield.

She dove in, her muscular frame shoving between them, hands prying Vera's fingers from Syn's throat.

"Vera, enough! You're going too far!" Her voice was firm, desperate, her teal eyes flashing as she pushed Vera back, Syn collapsing to his knees, gasping, red marks stark on his neck.

Vera stumbled, purple hair wild, breathing ragged, her purple eyes still burning, but the fight drained as Aster held her shoulders, Pako kneeling by Syn, sobbing, her hands hovering over him, lace camisole creased.

"Syn, are you okay?" Pako whimpered, tears soaking her cheeks, her playful spirit shattered, his pain her own.

Syn coughed, hazel eyes watering, voice hoarse. "I'm… fine," he rasped, hand rubbing his throat, his scar pale against the red marks. He looked up, meeting Vera's glare, Pako's tears, Aster's concern, his heart heavy. "Vera, I didn't betray you for Ila. I swear."

Vera's laugh was bitter, her purple eyes merciless, though pity flickered, quickly buried.

"Swear? You left us, Syn, without a word, let us think you were dead. And now I hear you were with Ila, charming her, while we fought to survive?" She pointed at him, voice shaking. "You heard it too, Aster, didn't you? About Syn and Ila?"

Aster's teal eyes widened, her breath catching, realizing Vera had tapped the medic bay camera, heard Olivia's confession.

She nodded, voice hesitant, clinging to reason.

"Yeah, I heard, but… Syn had a reason, Vera. He wasn't leaving us for her. He was trying to control Ila, to take down the Kingdom. We messed up his plan by showing up, didn't we?" Her words were a plea, her teal eyes pleading with Syn, remembering his rejection, Ila's trauma, her own guilt.

Vera's voice was sharp, cutting. "Aster, don't make excuses. He abandoned us, played us, and you're still defending him?" Her purple hair swayed, her hurt a live wire, her captain's control gone.

Syn's gaze met Aster's, gratitude flashing through his pain.

"Thank you, Aster," he said, voice raw, standing shakily, hazel eyes glistening. "She's right, Vera. I tried to use Ila, to change her, to kill the King, to give the Backdrop a future—peace, equality, a life worth living. I flirted with her, played her game, but it wasn't about love or betrayal. It was the mission." He swallowed, voice breaking. "I thought I had her, but she was too twisted. We fought, broke up two months ago. I thought she was done, but she… she came back, and…" His words faltered, Ila's assault a shadow he couldn't voice, his guilt crushing.

"And what, Syn?" Vera snapped, stepping forward, purple eyes fierce, though pity crept in, quickly smothered. "What did she do? What did you do to make her come back? No half-truths, no lies."

Pako's sobs grew louder, her tanned hands covering her face, lace camisole trembling, her voice a broken whisper. "Syn, please, did you leave us for her? Were we nothing to you?" Her tears soaked her fingers, her mischief gone, betrayal a wound too deep.

Aster's teal eyes darted between them, her heart pounding, her knowledge of Ila's crimes clashing with her need to shield Syn.

"Vera, stop," she said, voice firm but trembling, stepping closer, blue blood on her sleeve. "You know what I heard in the medic bay, what Ila did. It wasn't just a fight—it was worse, so much worse. He's not the villain."

"Enough!" Vera shouted, purple eyes flashing, pointing at Syn, voice a blade. "Just tell us, Syn. Today, now. Why did you leave the pirates? Why abandon us? The truth, now."

Syn stood, hazel eyes glistening, scar stark, heart laid bare, the weight of their pain crushing him. He looked at Vera, Pako, Aster—the women he'd loved, failed. His voice was steady, raw, resolute.

"Okay, Vera. I'll tell you everything."