It was upon returning from the successful sack of the facility on Proteus that a certain asteroid caught the attention of Olko. "That asteroid there, what fame does it have?"
"None at all, Olko," told him the other rocket barbarians.
"I will give it some by my visit then," he said, veering off, and his fellows laughed behind him and continued on their way.
Olko inspected the surface with a plunder-seeking eye and found a tunnel that was no more natural than peace. Deeper he penetrated into the asteroid and found within a belt troll's home.
"Go on your way," the troll told him. "Go on your way and live a bit longer."
"The rule I took up the moment I left atmosphere," Olko answered, "was to leave with something new in hand and never without."
"You want treasure, but I will give you a new way to follow your rule. You will leave with your teeth in your hand if you are stout, and if you are frail, I will send you on your way with a push, your body that is."
The combat began. The troll was passing strong and his thermal claws tremendous in their might, but Olko had his pile bunker which had pierced rockets in flight and comets on their path. The troll breathed out his life with these words.
"Go then with your treasure. It is below. Take the cursed ship Ringtaker, seize all the plunder you like, and revel in what you will pay for it! Ha!"
"A troll's last prophecy is ever true, but I will not shrink." Olko flew forth from the troll-hangar at the controls of such a ship as must terrorize a hundred moons, and did.
Finis
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