[A worn copy of the famed romantic adventure story about a Cassian lowborn child and his pet chompacabra. This excerpt follows the surprising events of the story's climax.]

Terren could hardly believe his eyes. He'd never seen so much blood in all his young life! And to think, just a single chompacabra did all that - his pal Nompy, the wild beast who'd befriended a slightly disturbed boy in the woods near the family estate. Nompy was a chompacabra who called Terren a friend, in his own growling, homicidal way\; and definitely not with actual words so much. It was just something Terren felt deep down. Especially when he saw the carnage and slaughter his new best friend had wrought upon his enemies.

What luck father had chosen to bring their family to Nexus, where the chompacabra runs wild, free, and unbelievably deadly on the surface of the planet. And even better luck that Terren had gotten lost the second day after their arrival, nearly starving to death as he wandered, lost and alone - until a chompacabra found him, kept him warm and safe, and even shared food with him. Really disgusting, terrible food, but it had kept young Terren alive. That chompacabra had followed him home, and subsequently followed him on countless adventures.

And STILL Terren had never seen so much blood! He ran to find his holo-camera. He loved Nompy so very much.

They made fun of his chompacabra? He would make fun of their innards! Except Nompy'd already eaten them.