The Local Universe.
Deep within the nearly boundless, frigid void.
A single-pilot spacecraft, smooth and spindle-shaped on the outside and packed with UHF's finest technologies as well as numerous Xenos Technologies, sped continuously through space at faster-than-light velocity.
Inside the cockpit.
Cypher Rorschach, having activated the autopilot assistance function, rested with his eyes closed. From time to time, the brilliant light of countless stars crossed hundreds or thousands of light-years before falling across his resolute face.
Hiss, hiss, hiss—
At that moment, faint sounds came from behind the Power Pack of Cypher Rorschach's Power Armor.
Then, a pink illusory creature with a flattened head, a pair of tiny broken horns, and an appearance somewhere between snake and not-snake slowly crawled onto his heavy shoulder plate.
"Hey, Safer, are you completely dead asleep? I'm hungry. I want food!"
In an utterly innocent child's voice, the pink illusory creature spoke with the airs of an old man to the still-eyed Cypher Rorschach.
Cypher Rorschach seemed unmoved. He fell silent for a moment before saying:
"About one void-day ago, you successfully devoured an aging star in an uninhabited star system... I don't believe you've already used up all that terrifying energy still being converted. Don't forget that we are now one entity. None of your changes can escape my control!"
The moment Cypher Rorschach finished speaking.
The pink illusory creature immediately shook its flattened head in fury.
Faint spatial ripples even seemed to emerge between its pair of tiny broken horns.
"Damn monkey! If I hadn't needed to completely break free from the ancient trap those animal gods set for me, why would I have entered into a symbiotic agreement with someone like you? Your existence is not even worth opening my mouth to eat for!"
"I don't care. I'm starving to death!