KAHARI

by Dean Kutzler

  He shuddered at the mere thought of having to even step into that Ring.

  “I’ve got no clue what’s in store for us, but we’re going to need all the muscle we can get. We have one wristcom and one laser pistol. A lot of these—things have been here eons. Species that have come and gone before our time or history, and there’s no telling what they could have done in all that time.”

  A little smile crept up his face while she was talking.

  “What are you smiling at?”

  “There’s no question why you’re a highly decorated commander.”

  She didn’t know how to take the compliment since most men only saw her for her good looks. While he was earnest in saying the comment, she saw more than respect in the pirate’s eyes. He was still a man—a man with secrets. What was he hiding? It didn’t matter. It was his business as long as it didn’t interfere with her plans.

  “Don’t get all sappy on me, flyboy,” she said, punching him in the arm. “I think they’re coming through, look.”

  The Kek Ring shimmered, and Ensign Brody and the Kractorian came rolling out. Unlike Daxton or her arrival, the two were entangled in a brawl, like they didn’t experience anything within the black chaos.

  “What fresh hell—this isn’t good. I was hoping they would be out of it so we’d have the advantage of the beast.“

  Daxton peeked around the corner, saying nothing.

  Saren toward the Kek Ring.

  “Stop!” she screamed. “We got to work together!”

  The beast rolled over on top of Ensign Brody, teeth bared. If Saren didn’t do something and fast, it was going to bite his face off.

  She couldn’t stun him while he was on top of her ensign, so, she made a quick, irrational decision to jump on its back.

  She charged toward the beast, kicking off the last second and somersaulting in the air. She landed on its back, hands gripping its shoulders and her legs flailing for purchase until she wrapped them partially around its chest, pinning its arms up.

  Before the beast realized what was happening, she slipped an arm around its thick, furry neck and locked it in place with the other.

  Pulling back hard, using the body armor covering her arms, Saren dropped her legs, utilizing all her weight and leaned back.

  The beast started gurgling, clawing at the armor protecting her arms and trying to release the pressure on its neck.

  It stood up, and Ensign Brody scrambled out from underneath while the beast struggled, twisting back and forth, trying to throw Saren off.

  With a pinky finger, Saren tapped the space-walk system on the wristcom, then redirected the magnetic pull from her boots to the arm casings of the armor, locking them in place.

  The beast hitched back and forth, now unable to release a gasp.

  It dropped to its knees, then slumped to the side before falling flat on its face. She held the pressure on its neck for a couple more seconds making sure it was out before disengaging the system, unlocking her arms and climbing off.

  She stood, looking around for Ensign Brody.

  He and Daxton were standing to the side, mouths open and staring at a small, beautiful woman physically taking down a Kractorian—easily five times her size.

  “What?” she asked, feeling her face flush. “It’s only because of the body armor.”

  “Rightttt—,” Daxton said, drawing out the word. “It wasn’t the savage move.”

  Ensign Brody’s face was a mix of reverence and fear.

  “Thank you, Commander.”

  “Mr. Brody,” she said. “Let me fill you in on the plan.”

  “Oh, I already did that, bruiser,” Daxton said, nodding at the snoring beast. “When you were, ah—“

  “Right. Now we just wait until it wakes.”

  They stood impatiently waiting as the beast kept snoring.

  Ensign Brody said, “I’ve got this. Gobshite’s got it comin’.”

  He walked over to the beast and kicked it below the belt.

  When nothing happened, he kicked it harder.

  Daxton winced, crossing his legs.

  The beast groaned, curling into a ball, spotting Ensign Brody as he hopped out of its reach.

  “I rip your—“

  “That’s enough,” Saren said, pointing the wristcom in the beast’s face. “Shut up. Get over whatever is going on between the two of you and listen to me. Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?”

  The beast regarded her small frame, and its eyebrows got lost in the fur. “You—?“ he said, rubbing his neck—eyes wide.

  She nodded.

  A look of reverence came over its face.

  “Maybe you teach men to fight,” it said, laughing, looking back and forth between Ensign Brody and Daxton.

  The beast sat up, and Saren took a step back, pointing the wristcom at him. “Easy now,” she said.

  The beast sneered at Ensign Brody then looked at Saren. “I will listen—to you.”

  “Good,” she said, lowering the wristcom and squatting. What is your name?”

  “Grôk—Grôk Manghoura. My homeworld is Kractoria until I am here,” Grôk said, shoulders slumping.

  “Crock, as in ye are a crock o—“

  Saren shot Ensign Brody a look, silencing him.

  “Grôk, I’m Commander Saren Thorn of the United Federation Ward of Authority. And you’ve met James Brody, my ensign, and that’s Daxton Stone.” She pointed to each man, respectively.

  Ensign Brody looked away, huffing.

  Daxton waved, an exaggerated smile on his face, and said, “Remember me?”

  “Why are you here, Grôk?” she asked. “What crime has brought you to Kahari?”

  Saren needed to know what she was dealing with before she enlisted his help. If the beast’s crime were too violent, she wouldn’t ask.

  Grôk looked away as he spoke. “I am dishonored among my people for crime I not commit.”

  Interesting, another innocent party.

  “You’re not actually gonna to trust this thing. Are you Commander?” Ensign Brody asked, shifting on his feet.

  “Mr. Brody, he is not a thing, he is a Kractorian, and his name is Grôk. You will refer to him by his name. And if we’re ever going to get out of here, I suggest you stow that hot Irish temper of yours and start working together.”

  “Aye-aye, Commander,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “Grôk, there are two other places like this one called Rings, each with a ruler. Faelar Aarondorf said that we’re all on a caste-quest to see which one we will live in forever. We have to fight our way through each Ring and ruler. I’ve got a plan to get us out of here. I’m not making any promises, but it’s the best chance I see. Can you work together with us?”

  Without hesitation, Grôk shook his head.

  “Good,” she said, patting him on the shoulder and standing. “Everyone—listen up. So we’re clear on my plan. I’m assuming the ruler of this world is waiting for us to come to him, her—or it. Otherwise, they’d have launched another attack by now.

  “The only problem is one ruler per Ring, which would mean we’d have to fight each other. It’s also the only rule in here, which means we don’t have to fight each other as long as we agree on one ruler among us.”

  “Yeah? And who will that be?” Daxton asked.

  “The Commander, ye Gobshite!”

  Daxton ignored the insult.

  “I know we all want out of here, and I’m all for it—but I got an agenda on top of that. If you’re in charge, which I ain’t contesting by the way,” he said, eyeballing Ensign Brody. “What’s to say I can fulfill that if you get to play ruler?”

  What are you hiding?

  “Yes, we all have our agendas, Daxton. I’m aware. I propose that if you and Grôk cooperate and help me—let me lead—I promise to help you both after I’ve gotten my daughter and crew back. Sorry, it’s got to be that way. They were captured by the Scarab, and they have my ship. I’ve got to
save them.”

  She wished she knew what Daxton was hiding, but if she pried into his business, he might not agree to help, and she needed his skill.

  “Okay, like I said before—you’re the Boss Lady.”

  “I will help your quest, Saren,” Grôk said in a gruff voice. “On my planet, when someone has beaten you in a fight, you must honor them with respect.”

  “Thank you, Grôk. I promise to do my best to get us all home.”

  Thank the powers that be—that were easier than I thought.

  “Are there any questions?” Saren asked.

  Ensign Brody shook his head, and Daxton gingerly pointed to the ground like he was tapping something.

  Grôk had his hand up.

  “I have question.”

  She couldn’t believe her luck. She’d turned the Kractorian into her personal, gentle giant. “Ask away, Grôk.”

  “May I get up now?”

  LIKE A PAWN

  “THE first thing we need to do is get you two some weapons,” Saren said, looking around at the ground. “It won’t be much from what I see here, so in the meantime stay behind Daxton and me.”

  Daxton shot her a glance. He didn’t like the idea of the beast stalking behind where he couldn’t keep an eye on him. Grôk was her pet, not his. They hadn’t gotten off on the right foot, and Daxton didn’t trust the beast not to take revenge.

  Saren met his eyes looking for an issue, and he reluctantly nodded.

  “I am weapon,” Grôk growled, marching over to a solid stone rectangle.

  He bunched a fist hauling it back and struck the stone. The corner edge snapped off, sailing into the distance.

  “Grôk, as far as I’ve seen, they have weapons capable of shooting hot metal projectiles. Your strength and resilience are quite impressive, but it’s not going to stop hot metal from penetrating your body and entering one of your organs. If they have plasma weapons, you’ll be toast.”

  Ensign Brody chuckled, and she whipped her head in his direction.

  “Sorry, ma'am,” he said, still smirking. “Ye said toast.”

  Grôk grunted at him.

  “Let’s keep it professional, Mr. Brody. Don’t make me regret recruiting you. We’ll fare better if we each utilize our strengths as needed. Until we know what we’re up against, I want both you and Mr. Brody to stay behind Daxton and me, and when the situation arises that muscle is—”

  She abruptly stopped talking and raised a finger to her lips, cocking an ear in the direction of the rock Grôk smashed, and said, “You hear that?”

  Grôk turned back toward the rock and shook his head.

  “I don’t hear it,” Daxton said, laying on the ground and placing his ear flat against the stones. “But I can definitely feel it.”

  “What the hella ye doin’ down there?” Ensign Brody said.

  “Whatever it is—it’s big and heading this way.”

  Daxton hopped to his feet, brushing off his clothes and grabbing his pistol.

  Ensign Brody’s head swung back and forth between Saren and Daxton. “Whatta ye daft or somethin’? Crackin’ jokes when—”

  “You feel the vibration?” Saren asked, cutting off Ensign Brody.

  He nodded. “Sounds like its got two legs.”

  “I think I hear it now. And don’t ye know, I think he’s right! I feel me feet shaking.”

  The sound was apparent, now, and the ground shook.

  Thump—Thump—Thump.

  “Is this time to ootalize my weapon?” Grôk asked, getting their attention.

  A pyramid spire—ten times taller than Grôk—about a hundred feet further past his position, burst into the air in a cloud of smoke, before crumbling to dust on the ground.

  Appearing out of the falling rubble, a giant—half-man, half-machine—stalked into the clearing.

  A Cyborg…

  The monstrosity stormed toward them swinging arms constructed from two jointed metal rectangles connected at the elbows by swiveling, glowing orbs. Necrotic gray hands clenched and unclenched with each step it took. Smoke drifted from the barrels of plasma cannons mounted on each forearm.

  The Cyborg’s torso was scarred, blackened metal with bits of gray flesh showing through, blasted away from previous fights. Force field patches glinted over the holes, protecting the necrotic tissue. The legs were larger copies of the arms, jointed at the knee with metal gears, instead of orbs. Large metal boots crushed everything in its path.

  Behind the Cyborg mounted on its back sat a cylindrical tank with black liquid sloshing inside seen from a window set within. Two hoses sprouted from the top of the tank—one planted in the back of its head, the other deeply nestled into the neck at the base of its skull.

  The top half of its head was missing, replaced by wavy-metal in the shape of an oversized brain. Hundreds of points of dazzling light, popping up in different positions all around the head, were traveling through the grooves in the metal, faster than the eye could track.

  The necrotic gray tissue of its face was spotted black in places and patched with metal in others. A heavily arched Roman nose hung over a mouth filled with sharp, metal teeth. The eyes were dark and emotionless with glowing-red centers blinking with deadly intelligence.

  The Cyborg turned its head, lifting its left arm at the same time its eyes rotated in their direction. The arm recoiled once as a bolt of plasma shot out of the cannon and tore through the air.

  “UNDER COVER! NOW!” Saren screamed, running for Grôk who was standing in the path of the plasma bolt. “Grôk! Outta the way!”

  Daxton and Ensign Brody ran for the cover of a large sphere before they realized Saren wasn’t behind them. Ensign Brody turned to go back and help Saren when Daxton grabbed him. “You won’t make it! You’ll be vaporized, too.”

  “Lemme go, ye shite! Commander!”

  Before Ensign Brody put up a fight, Daxton let go, kicking a cylinder-shaped rock under the young man’s feet.

  Ensign Brody slipped on the cylinder and toppled to the ground.

  “Sorry, kid—really, I am,” Daxton said, pulling him behind the rock.

  “Ye spineless son-of-a-bitch!” he spat.

  The Kractorian realized Saren was trying to save him but saw she was too slow, and the plasma bolt would hit her if she reached him. He saw on her face that she knew what would happen, yet she was still determined to try anyway.

  Other species feared Kractorians for longer than Grôk’s clan could remember. To the known galaxies they were nothing but vicious, dangerous beasts to be avoided. Kractorians unfairly earned that nasty reputation because the truth was, they never harmed anyone unless harmed first. No one ever gave them a chance. The fact was they were far smarter than they looked—and much, much more agile.

  Grôk hunched down and charged at Saren.

  She saw the sudden move and dug her heels into the ground, nearly slipping on the rocks.

  In two-seconds Grôk closed the gap and gently scooped Saren up in his arms. Never missing a beat, he sped across the landscape, gently placing her down with Daxton and Ensign Brody behind the sphere.

  Saren was speechless.

  How was it possible he was so fast?

  When she found her voice, she said, “Thank you, Grôk. That was definitely the right time to utilize your talents.”

  “Saren Thorn, why you try saving me?” he asked, peeking around the rock, keeping an eye on the Cyborg. “You knew not enough time.”

  Every cadet training to be a commander needed to pass the empathy assessment test before graduating and moving on to be assigned to a ship. If a commander couldn’t place the lives of the crew first, they didn’t belong commanding a ship.

  “Because—you’re part of my crew, now, Grôk.”

  “Can we save the mushy shit for later before we’re vaporized back into stardust?” Daxton asked. “That thing is stomping its way over here, fast.”

  Saren peeked around the rock.

  The Cyborg was taking aim.

&
nbsp; “Fall back! Now! Between there! GO-GO-GO!” she screamed, pointing to a larger rock further from the location.

  It was too big and would have to blast its way through to get at them, buying her some time to plan a retaliation. The Cyborg pulled off another shot, vaporizing half the sphere they’d been hiding behind as they ran between the rocks.

  The Cyborg let out a roar and aimed both arms at the rock, sending dual plasma bolts into the remaining half-sphere. The rock burst into dust and the plasma bolts burrowed into the ground, leaving a smoking hole.

  “What’s the plan, Commander?” Daxton asked, running behind another rock and holding his pistol up. “And quickly, if you don’t mind.”

  Without batting an eyelash, Saren went into action.

  “Grôk, how much can you lift?”

  He smiled, baring pointy teeth and turned to the boulder behind them. Grôk thrust both hands deep into the rock like it was made of butter and lifted it off the ground.

  The boulder towered over their head, and he said, “Good nuff?”

  Saren peered beneath her brow, grinning like a demon, and said, “Yes, Grôk. Good enough!”

  “Daxton?” she said, turning.

  He was peeking around the rock and watching the Cyborg stomp its way closer.

  “Yup, not much time!”

  “I think I know what’s going on here. Can you make it over there before the Cyborg blasts you?” She nodded at a large rectangular rock in the next clearing.

  The Cyborg kicked the last rock out of the way and was heading straight for them.

  He turned with a stone face, and said, “It’s now or never.”

  She stared him hard in the face—trust me—and said, “Don’t get killed—GO!”

  He sprinted out into the clearing, and she immediately took his place at the corner of the rock, eyeing the metal giant.

  “Grôk, keep a hold of that rock! Mr. Brody,” she said, holding up a hand. “On my mark, I want you to hurry around this square and get that thing’s attention! The second it looks your way, I want back here, understand?”

  “Yes, ma'am!”

  “Hey! Ugly bitch?” Daxton shouted, aiming the pistol at its head and firing. “Over here!”

  The Cyborg swatted the shot away like it was a fly, and opened its mouth revealing a snarl of metal teeth spinning like a chainsaw. Its head reared back, shrieking loud enough to shatter glass and changed course, stomping after Daxton.