The Hypos drifted through CTA25OR624’s asteroid belt. Their queen, Chrissie, liked this star, but she was feeling a tad bored. Waiting for the break of day, as it were.

Her favourite event, the consummation, was still ages away. This was when their host star would bloat into a red giant, and pour energy into every Hypo within range. Then they’d feast, pack up, and swan off to the next system like a gang of interstellar freeloaders.