Once clean, the Fraken handed her a pair of trousers, black boots, and vest. “Wear these.”
“Is that it?” Eloise swiftly shrugged on the clothes. She couldn’t feel any adaptive technology in them. It was normal to have clothes that wicked away sweat or kept you warm in a cold environment.
“You’re entering our games,” said the Fraken. “What else do you need?”
“What environment are you sending me into?” The Fraken had numerous terraformed miniature worlds they used as part of their games landscape. She could be going into a desert or a snowstorm. Either way, these clothes weren’t suitable.
The Fraken grunted again. “You ask too many questions.”
Eloise bit her tongue. It had been part of her job on Earth to question and discover the motivations and desires of others. It’s what made her a good negotiator.
“This way.” The Fraken grabbed the front of Eloise’s vest and shoved her through the door. This time, they didn’t go past the Vorten fighters, but turned left and headed towards another closed door.
The Fraken stopped, opened a hatch, and pulled out a small bag, which he thrust at Eloise. “Supplies.”
Eloise looked quickly inside. There was a water bottle, medical kit, and what looked like food bars and ration packs. There was maybe two days’ supply at the most. If she was up against a Vorten warrior, she wouldn’t be needing any of this.
The Fraken ran his hand over another access panel. The door in front of them slid open, and a warm gust of air blew into Eloise’s face. He gave her a sharp smile. “Try not to die too quickly. I have e-credits on this game.”
***
Axen slapped his hands across his chest and over his thighs. He wore an adaptive fabric, heating and cooling to ensure he wasn’t impeded during battle. This was a routine he always did before going into a fight, checking everything was secured and all vulnerable areas were covered. He shook his head. This wasn’t a battle. This was a humiliation, one he’d been doing for too long.
His close friend and fellow warrior, Bladen, looked up from polishing his blade. “We knew this day would come. The Fraken have been promising their audience human prey for months. And they want their best fighters going into the games for this audience grabber.”
“It’s sickening.” Axen’s gaze went around the warrior room they were in. It was a place they could escape the Fraken nonsense and spend time honing their fighting skills. There were training areas, access to an outside arena, baths, and changing rooms available for their exclusive use. “Humans aren’t suitable prey for these games. And I know they’ve been testing human prey already. We are not the first to encounter humans in the games.”
Bladen nodded. “I’ll be surprised if this one lasts a day.”
“Have you ever met a human?”
“Several,” said Bladen. “Mainly whining ambassador types. Those are the kind I don’t object to crushing.” He held aloft a large tanned fist. He was a similar height to Axen, with matching dark hair, but his was differentiated by having a streak of white that ran down one side.
“They’re using female humans, as well,” said Axen.
“Do they have particular fighting abilities, like our own women?” Bladen walked towards Axen, placing his blade in his weapons belt as he did so.
“To my knowledge, they don’t,” said Axen. “They’re as weak as their men. That one who was dragged past the arena a few moments ago was human.”
“I saw her,” said Bladen. “She looked small and terrified. Do you think she’s your prey?”
“I hope not,” said Axen. “Even from here, I could smell her terror. She’ll be easy to hunt down if she cannot control herself.” He’d also smelt something else in her fear, something that stirred him in a way he didn’t enjoy.
“Humans are an emotional race,” said Bladen. “They don’t know how to control themselves. It’s why they got into so much trouble on their home planet.”
“Earth.” Axen breathed out the name of the stricken planet humans inhabited. He was fascinated by other planets and had plans to visit Earth if the devastation the humans did to it could be repaired. “I bet they loathe the day they sent out a call for help.”
“If the information about their planet is correct, they had no choice,” said Bladen.
Axen nodded. Humans were destructive, obsessed with war and power. He was not fond of this race. He didn’t want to kill one in a game, though.
“I hear their females are still fertile and have bred with other aliens.” Bladen raised a dark eyebrow. “Potential breeding stock for us?”
Axen shook his head. “We’d break them.”
“Who are we going to break?” Lazet strode into the room, his pale brown hair pulled back from his lean, tanned face. He was shorter and slighter than his companions but made up for it by being whip fast and laser focused when in battle.
“Human women in the Fraken games,” said Bladen. “Are you concerned a human female will best you when it’s your turn?”
Lazet smirked. “My game will be over within the hour when I have a human as prey. I’d rather have a Cracken beast or a dragon hybrid from the planet Tashim. At least, you can have a real fight with them, and it’s not all the theatrics and drama the Fraken demand to keep the viewers entertained.”
“It’s humiliating,” said Axen, “for us and the humans. We are not a good fit for each other.”
“But the fans get what the fans want,” said Bladen.
“Despite what the Intergalactic Council decrees,” said Axen.
“I bet most of the Council members watch the games. They ignore what the Fraken are doing. Why stop something you enjoy, even if it is illegal?” said Lazet.
“You can guarantee they watch,” said Bladen. “And I expect they place bets, as well. You’d make a fortune if you bet on a human and they won. E-credits would rain down on your head for life.”
Lazet snorted a laugh. “As if a human will ever beat any of us. I’ve met a few Earth women in a bar. I wasn’t impressed.”
“Why am I not surprised to hear that?” Bladen slapped Lazet on the shoulder.
“All in the name of research.” Lazet grinned. “But they’re squeaky and covered in face paint, and they scare easily. No human woman for me.”
Thunde crashed into the room. He slammed his blade down and stalked over to his locker, where he stored his armor.
“Someone’s having a bad day.” Lazet grinned and spun his blade in the air.
“Not a word, Quark,” said Thunde.
Axen smiled at the use of that nickname. Lazet hated it, which was why Thunde used it. Being the smallest in the group was not a good thing when you were a Vorten.
“Let me guess,” said Axen. “The Fraken want you in the next game?”
Thunde shrugged. “Not that I know of. But I’ve just had to deal with that moronic commander, Vanis, and his simpering sidekick, Death Wish. They’re talking about removing our weapons when we enter the games.”
Axen’s hand drifted to the solid metal handle of his blade. “Is that for all games?”
“The ones involving the humans,” said Thunde.
Axen relaxed a little. “That’s not a problem.”
“It is,” said Thunde. “The Fraken want to see human blood on our hands. It’s an audience favorite.”
Axen nodded. It was never his favorite way of ending another’s life. You had to get close when you killed in hand-to-hand combat, and it was easier to see the fear in your prey’s eyes and smell the terror on their breath as they struggled to the end.
“I prefer the long-range approach myself,” said Lazet. “A blast from my laser and it’s all over. Throwing blades will do as well.”
Thunde slammed his fist into the wall. “We shouldn’t have to do this.”
“But you know we do,” said Axen.
“Our Council Elders should not be agreeing with the Fraken demands to keep us here,” said Thunde.
Axen agreed with Thunde. “Do
n’t let the Council Elders hear you say that.” Speaking out against Council Elder commands was forbidden, punishable by death.
“I don’t care if they do.” Thunde breathed heavily as he turned his gaze to Axen. “You know it’s time things changed.”
Axen watched his friend pace around the warrior room. This was how Thunde dealt with his own frustrations. He was like a volcano, exploding and shattering anything around him before going still and calm. So, he let Thunde pace and curse. Talking him down was a waste of time.
The warrior room was the one place they could share their concerns freely, without being pestered by Fraken or concerned their Council Elders would hear their conversations. Fraken were efficient at gathering useful information. But if any Fraken came into the warrior room, they were tossed out. Axen had taken great pleasure doing that on several occasions. They soon got the message.
“The only battles we’re taking part in these days are these games.” Bladen sat on a bench and leaned against the wall. “More and more, we’re doing the Frakens’ bidding. They’ll be sending us to fight their dirty wars next.”
“That will never happen.” Axen scowled at the thought of being even more of a puppet to the Fraken.
Bladen looked at Axen. “What will you do with the human in the games? How will you kill her?”
“Put her out of her misery quickly,” said Axen. “They have plenty of vulnerable areas. A hard strike should kill instantly. They don’t even have tough skin.” His finger traced over his own skin, modified to be tough and durable and shift color to blend into the background. You had to work hard to get a knife into a Vorten.
“Human women are desirable to some,” said Bladen. “Perhaps if you keep her alive, you can sell her.”
“Selling a human into the alien slave trade is too much hassle,” said Axen. “They are so weak and not worth keeping. Besides, the whole point of the game is to give the audience a thrilling death to watch.”
“You’re not interested in having one of your own?” asked Bladen.
“I’ve never thought about it. Do human women appeal to you?” Axen regarded his friend with interest. He’d never had a slave and would never pick a human one.
Bladen shrugged. “As you say, they’re too vulnerable. They don’t live long, they get sick a lot, and they’re always intent on blowing themselves up.”
“That’s the reason the Fraken haven’t destroyed them completely,” said Lazet. “They want to add a new arsenal of weaponry to their own stash.”
“The nuclear technology the humans have is primitive,” said Bladen.
“Primitive but effective,” said Axen. “You may not be able to pinpoint your target with a bomb, but wherever it lands, it does destructive things. Perfect for the Fraken.”
“They must have some spirit, though,” said Bladen. “The humans aren’t giving the Fraken what they want in regards to their nuclear knowledge. And I hear the negotiations at the Intergalactic Council grow fraught.”
“Which must be why they’re dragging humans into the games,” said Axen. “A few gory deaths for the audience to see, and human Council members might break and share their secrets with the Fraken.”
“If they do, they’re all dead,” said Lazet.
“They said never again,” said Bladen. “I saw an interview with two of the human Council members. They said they’d never launch another nuclear assault again. They have destroyed large bodies of information about how to create nuclear technology.”
“Which is what other alien races with such knowledge have done,” said Axen. “No one should have access to something so deadly.”
“The Fraken wouldn’t have been happy to hear that,” said Lazet.
“This is their way of punishing the humans,” said Axen. “And we’re helping them.”
Bladen shook his head. “No. We’re following our Elders’ instructions. It is the Vorten way. Our Elders know best.”
Thunde growled and stomped around the room again.
Axen nodded. “I will make sure the human’s death is swift. I’ll ensure she doesn’t feel any pain. But I won’t be keeping her alive. And I won’t be playing up to the audience as the Fraken insist we do. Quick and clean. Get in and out and finish it fast. If we all do that, the Fraken will get bored and move us onto more challenging prey in future games.” That’s what he wanted; there was no battle fury to be had from killing the weak and defenceless.
The entrance door to the warrior room beeped, signaling a Fraken was outside. Axen walked over and unlocked the door. A young Fraken guard he didn’t recognize stood outside, his lightning stick in his right hand, and his back straight. His yellow eyes struggled to meet Axen’s.
Axen stared at him in silence.
“It’s time.” The Fraken’s gaze finally landed on Axen. “Your game is about to begin.”
Chapter 3
Eloise jumped as the door slid shut behind her. Part of her wanted to slam her fists against it, just as Sonia had done in the cell, beg to be let in and back to the prison. At least she knew those surroundings. It wasn’t safety, but there was a roof over her head, and she had her daily nutrition pill, and the company of the others, women Eloise regarded as her friends, and whom she’d never see again.
She took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart and surveyed her environment. It was a jungle, hot and damp. Tropical plants spread out in all directions, and she could hear the whispering hiss of dangerous animals in the undergrowth. Eloise was certain the Fraken would have planted numerous biting insects, snakes, and spiders in the game for their entertainment value. She would have to watch where she walked.
She pulled open the bag the Fraken had given her and re-checked her provisions. If she was careful, she had two days of water and one week of food. “That’s if I even last a week,” she muttered to herself.
Eloise refused to give into the panic that coursed through her veins. If this was her last fight for survival and freedom, she would do everything she could to get out. The odds were always in the favor of the Vorten warriors who took part in the games. But she had skills of her own. She wasn’t a great fighter, but she was good at talking her way out of difficult situations. Maybe she had something the Vorten who’d be hunting her needed. If she could get him to listen to her, even for a few moments, she could gain an extra few days of freedom. It was a weak hope, but Eloise clung to it.
Taking a few steps forward, she felt the lush, damp ground under her feet give slightly. Sweat beaded her forehead. She’d have to take it slowly to keep the water rations going for as long as possible.
“First, I need somewhere safe, then I need to find water.” Eloise adjusted the provision bag so it rested more comfortably on her shoulder and walked forwards. She had no weapon of her own, so any encounter with dangerous animals would end badly. She looked around for something to use, and after discovering a few rocks on the ground, she found one that fitted neatly in the palm of her hand. It was not ideal, but it would do. If nothing else, she’d be able to throw it and distract any animal that attacked.
And Eloise knew there would be some. The Fraken didn’t employ a single predator to take out their prey, but manipulated the environment, inserting exotic, modified monsters, usually with electronic parts, to excite the audience as they watched the game.
Eloise thought back to the women she’d left behind, Melody, Jessie, and Grace. Her heart ached for the loss of Sonia. She’d gotten to know her when they were on board the starship, and in the ten days they’d been captured by the Fraken, she’d come to realize Sonia was the most vulnerable of the group. Perhaps she’d fled the cell when she realized life at the hands of their Fraken captors was not worth living.
But Eloise wanted to fight. Life on Earth was hard, messy, and difficult. But she wanted to live. She wanted to see if there was a way out of the game. She wasn’t going to go down quietly. Whatever the Fraken threw at her, she’d fight as hard as she could.
Eloise was aware that many membe
rs of the Intergalactic Council did not think much of humans, and she couldn’t blame them. Earth had once been a beautiful planet, but it had been ruined, obliterated with bombs and fighting. Humans had lost something many aliens would covet and protect. In a way, this was an acceptable punishment, to be thrust into a situation she had no control over and used as entertainment for aliens more advanced, stronger, better than she was.
“But not for me,” muttered Eloise. “I negotiated against a war.”
A branch cracked to her right, and Eloise jumped. She peered into the dark green undergrowth, but couldn’t see anything. Still, the sound made her speed up. Shelter and water, she needed to concentrate on those things first. The rest, she would have to make up as she went along.
The sound of a high-pitched bell rang, and her stomach sank. That was the signal she knew about, the signal that the game was beginning. Her hunter was about to enter and start chasing her.
***
Axen adjusted his weapons, checking on the blades strapped to his weapon belt. He wore two thick straps over his chest and an additional belt around his waist. He also had a knife strapped in his boots. He didn’t need all of these weapons, but it was a Vorten warrior habit to carry them all the time, and he felt underdressed without them. These weapons were a part of him.
He stood by the door, waiting for it to slide open. The young, nervous Fraken stood to his right, shifting his lightning stick between his hands as if he expected Axen to attack at any second.
Axen shot the Fraken a sharp gaze. He could smell the nerves coming from him, and it was stirring his urge to hunt. The Fraken were recruiting soldiers to their ranks at an increasingly young age. It showed their desperation and desire to conquer as much of the galaxy as they could before they moved onto the next one.
“It is time.” The Fraken passed his hand over an access panel, and the door slid open to reveal a jungle environment.
Axen suppressed a sigh. You had to be extra careful with weapons in this tropical climate. Metal and water never went well together. He stepped through the door and appraised his surroundings. Lots of places to hide. It would make finding the human more of a challenge. But if he was hunting the one he’d seen pass by the warrior arena, he already knew her smell. Vortens had an acute sense of smell, given to them during the genetic modification stage of their race. As soon as he was within her scent range, he would be able to sniff her out, and the game would end. And he would go home. Well, back to the warrior room and his friends. Axen had no place to call home anymore.
Axen (Vortex Alien Warriors Book 1) Page 3