"That may be so, but we're not dealing with the Belorions."
"We're entering the ort cloud now, Sir," Batar said.
"Prepare the shields for any collisions, and set up the onboard asteroid deflection device."
"Yes, Sir."
"Now all we can do is sit back and enjoy the ride." Carver gave Jeff a smile, as he could sense his nervousness. "Relax, everything will turn out fine."
"That's what you say," he sighed. "You're not the one who has to answer questions that you can't give an answer too."
"You'll think of something," Carver laughed.
"Story of my life," Jeff laughed.
The ship drifted toward the giant yellow sun's ort cloud and into a large belt of perilous asteroids and comets. He prayed that there wouldn't be an incident like the one that happened to his old ship, the Rigil Four; where an asteroid slammed into the fusion engine, and left Zarcon, Milgic, and Dormiton floating in space and almost near death. At least this ship had a deflector beam on it, and increased their chances of survival, because right now they needed all the luck they could get.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Angelica just woke for the morning, when he heard a buzz at the door. 'Probably that crazy mutant again,' she thought to herself, as she sat up. When the door opened, she was surprised. "Cely?" she asked. "What are you doing here?" She noticed he now had two arms instead of just one.
"I'm here to convince you that you have no other alternative than to assist the leader of the Tolarions with the required experiments for cloning procedures, Triachilite production, and android assembly," he stated.
Angelica looked at him as if they never met before.
"Cely, what did they do to you?"
"They've reprogrammed me. You must follow my instructions."
"I don't think so! You are supposed to follow my instructions."
"Not any more," the android retorted.
"And if I don't follow your instructions?"
"I am ordered to kill you."
"But that's against your prime directive. You can't kill me." She began to feel uneasy at the thought.
"But I must." He began to walk towards her, as she stood up. "Those are my orders."
"I don't know what they've done to your memory banks, but I'm not your enemy!"
"Please do what they say, Ms. Avery," he said, as he reached for her neck. She tried to get around him, but he was too quick and powerful. He began to choke her. "Please do what they say."
It was that point, something went off in his circuitry and froze him solid. She wiggled her way loose, fell to her knees and gasped. When she regained her breath, she looked at her own creation square in the face.
"I told you couldn't kill me," she sneered. She walked to the door to see if there was some kind of way to open it, but couldn't find one. The door opened, and Balta faced her. She went to punch him, but he grabbed her arm. "You sadistic son of a bitch! You sent my own android to kill me?"
"It was worth a try," he quipped. "But obviously, it's against his principles. Oh well, just the same. I've prepared another demonstration just for you later this afternoon."
"Killing more people, no doubt." He let go of her arm, and she backed up.
"No, actually your friends Rollings and Malone are going to do the killing. They're going to kill each other!"
"I knew you were sadistic, I just didn't know how much!"
"Nonetheless, this afternoon you will be witness to survival of the fittest."
"You'll never get them to agree to it."
Even though they weren't the best of friends, she didn't believe they were capable of cold blooded murder.
"If they don't, they will face a much fiercer opponent and die anyway. If either of them live, and you agree to help me, they will go free."
"You're word, as I've said before, means nothing to me."
"Have it your way. The games begin at two. Please deactivate his freeze mechanism so that he is operative again, Ms. Avery. And do not try to tamper with his memory banks, because I have your room under surveillance."
"Even the bathroom?"
"Of course not. Everywhere except your bathroom facility. I have no interest in your grooming and bathing practices. However, if you attempt to bring the android in there, we'll see you. Any attempts of any kind, and I will kill your two friends as well as you. My patience is growing thin, and I have very little time to argue with you."
"You put me in here so you can spy on me?" Angelica asked, and felt about as violated as she could feel. "Get out of my sight!"
"As you wish," he said, smiling. "I'll send a couple of guards back at two to get you, and they will be armed as well. I will permit you to speak to your friends a brief time before the games begin. I feel I owe you that much. Good day, Ms. Avery!"
With those words, he left the room, which left Angelica alone with her immobilized companion. She opened his back compartment and reset the freeze mechanism. Once she did, he dropped his arms, turned around like a soldier, and left the room.
He didn't speak a word to her, and she sat down on the bed and began to cry. She felt that she just lost her best friend, someone who stood by her even when humans didn't. She realized all too late the mistake she made by following in her father's footsteps. Now she was responsible for the deaths of several beings, and it felt like the weight of the two universes rested on her shoulders.
She was scared of what was about to come. What were these "games" Balta spoke of, and why was he going to torture her more by making her watch the spectacle? She knew he was trying to make her do what he wanted, but killing everyone off was something she just couldn't tolerate. She really didn't care what happened to Malone; he was an arrogant, selfish asshole, but after consideration that he was no longer the enemy, she didn't want him killed either. Part of her thought Rollings was a nice, respectable man, and the other part made her feel he wasn't any better than the rest of them. He did arouse her, but she knew it could never work because of their age difference. He was very sexy for an older man, however, and she couldn't overlook that he seemed attracted to her.
The truth was, even though she supported her father's work, she missed home, and her old life. Thomas, her former fiancé, asked her to marry him prior to the trip, but when she found out he was partially responsible for her father being committed, she broke it off. She just wished she could see him one more time, to say she was sorry. He seemed to have been right about her father, which tore her heart apart. Rollings reminded her of Thomas, at least in his mannerisms of being gentle and kind. Even though they were both rough and tough military men, they knew how to treat a lady.
If only her father gave her the information that Balta wanted, all of this could've been avoided. She wondered why he would ever go through with this whole thing to begin with, but again reminded herself her father couldn't have been in his right mind at the time. Without her trustworthy android she felt helpless, and really didn't know what to do. She was a strong woman, but she couldn't handle a whole army of these beings.
She looked in the refrigerator, and found a purple, leafy substance and some strange gray oval vegetables that were in the refrigerator. She smelled them to see if they weren't spoiled, took a small taste, and actually liked them. There was also some kind of meat, but knowing this was an alien planet, she didn't dare touch it. She knew she had to keep her hope and strength up if she ever wanted to get out of this in one piece.
She seemed to feel a little lighter here; the gravity was obviously less than Earth, but not by much. By two o'clock, the door opened, and two Tolarion guards entered. "Please place your arms in front of you," one said.
She did so, and they placed restraints on her. 'So much for disarming them,' she thought. After that, they directed her out to a stairway that overlooked a huge laboratory. There were several creatures walking about in white suits. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, they directed her through a door, instead of going through the laboratory. They walked down a long
white hallway, and into a stone hallway that slanted downward and was dimly lit with blue colored lights every twenty feet or so. She passed three of them, and then tried to struggle to get free. One of the Tolarions grabbed her by her pony tail, and yanked hard, while the other pushed her along. To alleviate the pain, she tried to kick the guard holding her hair, but he felt no effect, even when she kicked his knee. Her guess was that they had a high tolerance for pain. If she was only able to get her arms free, she might have had a chance at escape.
When she reached the end of the hallway, they turned to the right, where there was a short hallway, and a gray door at the end. As the one guard held her tightly, the other punched in a code on the green keypad next to the door. It slid open, and they entered, revealing a long hallway with several cells. As they passed by, Angelica was shocked and amazed at the variety of species that were kept there; from the gray aliens to reptilians, and even a cat-like creature. There were also hideous beasts; indescribable beasts, animals with four eyes and two tails, insect like beasts, and even an octopus creature with arms and legs.
Angelica nervously walked down the hallway with the guards next to her. When the octopus type creature reached out and grabbed her leg with one of its tentacles, one the guards took his dagger and lunged into it. It screamed in fear, and let go, retreating to the corner of his cell. When they reached about halfway, there sat Rollings and Malone in a cell, a little battered, but still very much alive.
"Angelica!" Rollings said in relief. She came to the cell, and he held her hands through the bars. "You're still alive."
"Yes," she cried. "I'm glad to see you too. They tampered with Cely. I don't know him anymore. They want to take him and duplicate him, like the clones. They say if I don't help them, they'll kill both of you. What am I going to do?"
Malone, who was listening, came closer to her as well.
"Ms. Avery," he said. "I want to apologize for my prior behavior. I've been a total asshole, and I'm sorry."
"Forget it. I've been wrong about some things myself. We can't worry about that right now," she said. "They've arranged some kind of game-"
"Visiting time is over," one of the guards barked.
"Don't worry," Rollings said. "Whatever happens, don't give in to them. Promise me that, will you?"
"I promise," she said, and kissed him on the lips goodbye.
Flattered and slightly interested, he smiled, and let go of her hand. "Take care," he said.
The guards then turned her towards the door and pushed her towards it. The octopus creature was still in its corner. The cat like creature looked at her, and smiled, his green eyes glaring and bearing his sharp white teeth. He turned away as the guards looked at him, and Angelica was then directed out the door.
At the end of the stone hallway on their right, they came to another gray door, which one of the guards opened. They walked up another stairway, which led to a terrace, where Balta, Varloo and a large red alien were sitting. She stared out at the large arena that was full of the same aliens, under a reddish-purple sky with two binary red dwarf stars, and mountains that appeared in the distance. The terrace was above the crowd, overlooking the arena. The alien was seven and a half feet tall when he rose from his chair, and wore some kind of armor on his chest, arms, and legs. He was covered with spines on his natural body, like a porcupine, was red in color, with green eyes, and had a horned crest on the top of head. 'Perhaps this was where humans got the idea of the devil,' she thought to herself. Balta rose as well, and the guards brought her to a chair and sat her down in it.
"Hello again, Ms. Avery," Balta said. "This is Akira, leader of the Garlicians. He has come to watch the games with us. I trust your last visit with friends was a pleasant one?"
"You'll never get away with this," she remarked.
"I see what you mean," Akira joked. "She certainly has a lot of fight in her, doesn't she?"
"You have no idea," Balta answered.
"Right now she's thinking how she's going to kill you," Varloo jested.
"Well," Balta said, staring into her sad, hazel eyes "When this is all over, you'll be thanking me. I'll set you up with your own laboratory and staff and you can explore whatever area you like. I'll have food shipped in from other worlds that you're more used to, and maybe I'll throw in your android and Rollings as well, if you wish."
"Why would you do that?" she asked. "I thought you wanted him dead?"
"Don't be coy, Ms. Avery," Balta snapped. "I've seen the way you two look at each other. I'll spare his life, if you agree to help me."
"What about Malone?"
"He's not part of the deal," he said. "He dies no matter what."
"No deal!"
She didn't care for him that much, but at least he apologized, and that was worth something to her.
"Then your two friends will face the consequences!" he barked. "Akira, time to address the crowd."
"Yes, your excellency," Akira said, as he remained standing. "*Ach tuko Garlicians, varmoc orka Vartula! Fortu ora Rollings kana Malone!" After that, the crowd cheered wildly. "Marka calimba hallou selima!"
Malone and Rollings were pushed out of the arena from separate doors, and faced each other, directly in front of the terrace. Balta picked up two weapons that hung on the wall by the handles; two long handled iron bars with spikes at the end of them on a ball shaped mace. The end of the handles also had a sharp edge to them, capable of stabbing their victim. "Tarvuku!" he yelled, as he held them in the air and the crowd cheered. He then threw them directly in front of the two humans into the red sand.
*see Garlician language in index
"Since you are outsiders," Balta said. "Let me explain the rules to you. You are to fight each other until one has killed the other. If you don't, the guards will kill him anyway, and you'll be faced with another opponent much deadlier. If you drop your weapon, you aren't allowed to pick it up unless you're opponent is armed as well. If neither are armed, you must kill the other with your bare hands. Do you understand these rules?"
Rollings started towards the terrace.
"Why don't you come down and fight your own battles, Balta?" he asked. "What are you afraid of?"
"I ask again. Do you understand the rules?"
"Yea, we understand em," Malone barked. He turned towards Rollings. "I'll let you win, maybe they'll spare your life."
"Don't count on it," he answered.
"Enough discussion!" Balta said, as he waved for a guard to strike the gong also on the terrace. "Begin the games!" Rollings and Malone faced each other, both reluctant to pick up the weapons. As Rollings faced him, he could see that his selfishness and self preservation kicked in again.
"I don't want to kill you," Malone said. "But I'll do whatever I have to do to survive."
"I know that," he answered. "And so will I. But I won't kill you."
Malone limped to grab his weapon, as Rollings did the same. Malone swung the weapon, which was actually pretty light considering it was made of metal, and just nearly hit Rollings. Rollings held up his, as Malone took another swing, and the two weapons clashed, creating a clanging sound. The crowd roared in appreciation.
Rollings pushed Malone away, using the weapon as leverage. Malone swung again, this time lower, and the weapon knocked his opponent off his feet. Now unarmed, Rollings lie on the ground, as Malone swung down towards him. He rolled out of the way just in time, and knocked Malone off his feet as well. Rollings jumped up, as did Malone also, and they faced each other in arm to arm combat.
Malone swung at him, Rollings moved to his right, and punched him square in the nose. Blood trickled, and he spit the blood out, as it flowed onto his lips. Rollings tackled his friend, and they fell to the ground in a cloud of red dust. Malone rolled him, and began to punch him in the face at least three times. Rollings threw him off, and scrambled to his feet, holding his jaw in pain. Malone, breathing heavy due to the thin air, sat on the ground momentarily, as Rollings backed away. The crowd began to gawk at the pair
, giving their sign of discontent.
"We have to think of a way out of this," Rollings said to Malone.
"There's only one way out," Malone answered. "And it ain't going to be me who dies." He rose to his feet, again, and Rollings prepared for his attack.
He ran towards Rollings, who grabbed him around the waist and wrestled him to the ground. Malone elbowed him in the face, which freed him, and he grabbed Rollings around the around the neck, trying to choke him. Angelica watched in fear, not wanting either one of them to be killed. She didn't want to help Balta, but at the same time she didn't want this barbaric scene to go any longer. She never felt so helpless.
Rollings was almost out of breath, until he was able to grab Malone by the hair and pulled hard. He let go of his neck, and Rollings punched him in the eye. Malone scrambled away, and Rollings pulled him by his bad foot, twisting it, causing him to scream in pain. While he was writhing, Rollings jumped on him, and punched him until he wouldn't get up. He wasn't dead yet; just severely beaten and dazed.
"Cala at Tu," the crowd began to chant wildly.
Balta joined in, speaking English so that Angelica would understand as well. "Finish him off!" he yelled along with the crowd.
"No!" Rollings yelled to him. "I won't do it!" He walked over to the terrace, and looked up at Balta. "I won't do it."
"Very well," he said, and directed two guards at one of the doors of the arena to come out.
They walked over to where Malone was, and picked up both the weapons. One walked out, and the other took the sharp handle and plunged it into Malone's chest cavity.
Dimension Lapse II: Return to Doomsday (Dimension Lapse Series Book 2) Page 16