Belly of the Beast

War is messy. Peace is messier. Either way, the Republic Drop Corps gets called in to clean up.

The plight of prisoners of war has always been a fraught one, especially after a war spanning the breadth of the galaxy. Space-faring nations do not willingly admit their crimes. And the Star Empire of Golgotha has no intent of admitting one of their worst.

Stygia was the perfect place to dump POW's. A dead world beyond the borders of rival powers, Golgotha's human leadership could deposit prisoners of value there without fear their spidery alien Mistresses, the Arathra, would get a little too hungry.

But with the Great Galactic War done, find Stygia the Arathra have. And they are very hungry.

Lieutenant Khiry Jaxan of the Republic Drop Corps has seen a lot of hellholes. But she and her company might be dropping into literal hell, this time; a place where deprivation has converted sentient beings into animals. They'll have to rescue the POW's not only from imprisonment, but from each other.

And there'll be no help coming if they fail. Because the war's over. And space-faring nations do not willingly admit their crimes.