"Help! Murder!"
In front of the Imperial Palace, a black-skinned Rick was being beaten up by a pack of the newly minted Black Ultrawatch's Cat-folk. His cries were so pitiful they could make anyone who heard them weep—and it was obvious this wasn't play-acting.
Meanwhile, Hogg, who'd just been told his hairstyle was hideously ugly, was sitting at a watermelon stall. He enjoyed a leg massage from Trazyn and the other Ricks who'd sold out their master while munching on a huge blue watermelon.
"Boss, is the pressure all right?"
"Mm! Not bad. You really are the most loyal Chapter Master of my Silver Skull Chapter. But I still have to tell you, Little Xin: from now on, when you meet me outside, you have to call me 'Plant'!"
Seeing Hogg so pleased with himself, Trazyn cursed him as Hogg the Plant in his heart. Outwardly, though, he could only put on a fawning expression and recite Hogg's 93-character list of honorific titles for everyone to hear.
Meanwhile, Szarekh was stuck inside a Rick body. Even as he was being beaten, he still had enough breath to shout:
"Bah! You lot are traitors who sold out your master! How dare you betray me? Don't hit my face! I'm the Silent King! I'm the Silent King!"
At that, Hogg immediately waved for everyone to stop. Still chewing on his watermelon, he walked over to Szarekh, then crouched down and lifted the Rick's head. He even took out a portrait to compare it with him.
"Is the Necron in this portrait you?"
"Yes. I was much thinner back then. This body only contains a copy of my original's logic arrays. I came to negotiate."
Glancing back, Hogg saw Trazyn gesturing to him and immediately confirmed the black-skinned Rick's identity. Then he looked