KAHARI

by Dean Kutzler

  Grôk heaved a large stone at the orbs, followed by several more in rapid succession like a sub-processing uzi.

  Did he have any limit?

  The orbs bobbed up and down like hammers striking piano strings to a concerto of Rachmaninov.

  “Keep ‘em busy, Grôk,” she shouted, needing time to work out a plan. “Has anyone seen technology using those small antennas before other than for data rays or field emitters?”

  Whatever the orbs were doing, they hadn’t acted yet like they were building up to something which had her worried. They were maneuverable enough to catch any of them, except for maybe Grôk.

  The orbs began glowing and circling the entire clearing. The humming sound changed to a high-pitched whine. If the fucking twenty-first century antennas started shoot plasma, they were as good as done—well done, actually.

  The color of the orbs changed from white to red.

  “Everybody! Stand around me!”

  Grôk was the first to reach her, spreading his arms and legs, shielding her.

  “No Grôk! That’s not what I meant. Kneel in front of me—get as close as you can! Come on you two! Get over here!”

  She raised her wristcom, ready to employ the shield with the remaining power.

  It was the only option.

  Daxton and Ensign Brody rushed next to Saren, and she activated the field.

  “Commander! That shield’ll drain ye wristcom! What are your plans?”

  I don’t have one!

  The orbs stopped circling along, and the whining noise died off.

  Electricity flashed around the antennas in balls of bluish-white.

  Saren widened her stance, preparing the best she could.

  Bolts of blue lightning zapped from one antenna to the next in a continuous, vicious arc of power.

  The ground beneath their feet began rumbling.

  “What now?” Saren said, holding the wristcom steady.

  “Commander!” Ensign Brody shouted, pointing.

  The large rock she had planned to use as cover was rolling directly at them and gaining speed.

  So that’s the game.

  If she moved the force field and the electricity shot down at them, they were dead. If she didn’t act now, they’d be flattened.

  She had to make a choice.

  She spun around, bringing the force field down in the boulder’s path and leaning into it, bracing her legs on the ground.

  “Daxton! Get them to the building, now!”

  “Don’t gotta tell me twice,” he grumbled, leaving them and running for the path between the rocks. “Come on!”

  Ensign Brody and Grôk hesitated.

  The boulder smashed into the force field, shattering it to bits of rock everywhere.

  The force of the blast drove Saren backward, and Grôk quickly cradled her body, making sure to grab the wristcom with both hands, saving her arms from being crumpled with the impact. The force field was designed to block energy pulses, not heavy matter moving with such force.

  “Brody! Follow Daxton, NOW!”

  “But Comm—“

  “That’s an order!”

  He ran out from behind the force field, his brow crinkled up in worry.

  He slipped between the rocks after Daxton as another boulder missed him by inches, heading straight for Saren and Grôk.

  WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?

  SAREN stared up into Grôk’s face, his hands holding steady around the wristcom. She saw a glint of fear in his eyes, but not for himself. He wouldn’t leave her even though he could quickly outrun or smash anything the orbs would throw at him, but he couldn’t save them both, and without him, she wouldn’t stand a chance.

  There wasn’t much time. The rock that missed Ensign Brody hit them and drained a significant amount of power. The game would play out quickly if she didn’t think of something.

  The blue electric zapping around the antennae brightened. Rocks all around the clearing started scrambling toward them.

  The orbs remained over their heads. Saren had guessed correctly that Grôk’s enormous size would keep them focused over his bulk, instead of following Daxton and Ensign Brody.

  She continued looking into those sad, icy-blue eyes. A larger rock was coming at them, and the force would surely take them out. Grôk was ready to lose his life protecting her—again—and she’d be a bitch-fuck if she let him down.

  An idea burst into her head!

  “Get ready—I know what to do!”

  He vigorously nodded his head, showing he had faith in her.

  “Squat down with me—then left and up when it hits,” she said, nodding toward the orbs.

  That was all the time she had time to explain when the rock hit.

  Saren dropped to the ground—Grôk following her lead—and together they swept the wristcom up and to the left. The sudden move was enough to shatter the rock into several smaller chunks as it hit the force field and deflected the force of the impact, sending the pieces into the path of the orbs.

  There wasn’t time for the orbs to power down the electricity and move out of the way as the rocks hit, causing them to violently wobbled back and forth. The connection pulsing through the antennae became erratic and sent the stream into the orbs, shattering them to pieces.

  Saren didn’t wait to see if more orbs would come.

  “Grôk, now!” she yelled, pointing.

  He bound to his feet carrying Saren on his stomach like a kangaroo and ran down the path after Daxton and Ensign Brody.

  “I can’t see, Grôk,” Saren said, bobbing up and down, trying to peer behind them. “Are there any more orbs?”

  Without slowing down, he quickly glanced over his shoulder and grunted, “No.”

  “Good! Let’s hurry, just in case!”

  The force of his increased speed pushed Saren back against his stomach, as he tore up the path.

  Everything was a blur in her eyes then he quickly slowed his pace, and her hair flew forward like she was in a wind tunnel.

  Grôk jogged the last twenty feet, almost catching up with Daxton and Ensign Brody.

  “Okay, Grôk. You can let me down,” she said, flipping her hair back and jogging next to Daxton.

  “Holy shit!” he said, stumbling. “I just checked the path a second ago. Where the hell’d you two come from? Not that I ain’t glad to see ya, but we thought you guys were goners. That sudden-breeze, it was you two?”

  She shook her head, smiling at Grôk, and said, “We make a good team.”

  “Commander Thorn! I’m sorry I should have—“

  “Forget it, Ensign. I ordered you to leave. We’d only have a problem right now if you hadn’t obeyed.”

  She looked around Daxton as they jogged, to give Ensign Brody a warm smile, so he knew she appreciated his dedication, and before he turned his face away, she saw his cheeks were wet.

  They ran for a couple of miles, and Daxton said, “I think—I see it up ahead. Another hundred yards or so.”

  “Grôk can you hear any new drones?” Saren asked.

  “No, nothing at all.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us,” Daxton said, panting and slowing his pace. “We’ve been running—a couple a—miles!”

  “No one ask.”

  Grôk shrugged, unfazed by running.

  “Leave him alone,” Saren said, catching her breath. “At least we get a breather, now. Ensign Brody—actually—everyone, scan the area and look for any defenses that might be set up. They—gotta know we’re coming.”

  “Hey,” Ensign Brody said, squinting. “Isn’t that the corner of the building? Where the men be standing guard? They’re gone. It be a trick, Commander.”

  “I agree, Ensign. A trick we’re going to have to play into. I don’t want to risk waiting too long and be caught out in the open if more drones show up. Gimme a moment to think.”

  Saren was sure the technology the drones used could easily fry them with plasma and be done with it.

  Why use brute forc
e?

  “To make it look like it was the Cyborg,” she said, thinking aloud.

  “What seems like the Cyborg?” Daxton asked.

  “The tech here, the Cyborg, the Kek Ring—his whole damned place is incredible. Why would these rulers waste time toying with us instead of just ending us or enlisting us?”

  “Maybe it be their fancy,” Ensign Brody offered. “Like entertainment?”

  “Or maybe something else is goin’ on here,” Daxton said.

  Saren nodded, checking the wristcom’s power level.

  “Twenty-five percent! Damn!” she said, looking up. “Those fucking boulders—it’ll have to do. Let’s go.”

  She stormed toward the building.

  “Wait,” Daxton said, pulling her back. “Ain’t we gonna talk about the plan first?”

  He was right—she was pissed. She’d had enough of Cyborgs and flying orbs. They had two more Rings to get through and every second wasted here were seconds her daughter and crew were in the hands of the Scarab.

  She’d gotten them this far, and she’d be damned if she didn't see it through. Whatever uncertainty she might’ve had before, shattered with the orbs she and Grôk defeated. She might be out of her element on this fucking godforsaken graveyard of a planet, but she was the best-damned Commander UFWA ever had—and will continue to be.

  “What happened to Boss Lady?” she asked, deadpanning him in the face.

  She didn’t give him a chance to respond, and said, “Either you’re all in, or, you’re all out.”

  Daxton watched her walk toward the building in that tight-fitting body armor, and all he could think was, Damn—she’s hot!

  Grôk carefully pushed past him, following after Saren.

  “You better believe I’m all in, Boss Lady!” he said, adjusting his leather pants. “I’m right behind you! You heard the woman Mr. Brody. Let’s go!”

  Ensign Brody shook his head.

  “That be my Commander! She’s one tough lass!”

  He punched the air and ran after them.

  Daxton caught up with Saren and Grôk, and said, “So, where do you think those men went?”

  “Honestly?” she said, glancing at him from the side. “I think once they saw we got through the drones they didn’t know what to do and left for the next Ring. That’s where we’re headed.

  “I don’t think anyone has made it this far in a long time, if ever. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have to be on our toes. In fact, we’d better hurry because I think it only bought us some time before bigger trouble arrives.”

  “Whatta ya think’s goin’ on here?” Daxton asked, admiring her confidence.

  The only thing more attractive than a confident man was a confident woman.

  “Deception,” she said.

  They reached the front of the building, and a metallic tang wafted through the door along with the putrid smell of death they kept smelling.

  “Dax, check around the right side and Grôk, take Mr. Brody and check the left side, but sneak through those rocks over there and keep out of sight of the door,” she whispered.

  She was leading them on a hunch she hadn’t shared with them. She’d be the first to walk into danger, but on the rare occasion her hunches were wrong, at least they’d have a fighting chance.

  Wristcom raised, Saren scaled the edge of the building near the near the door.

  Unlike the rest of the damned planet, the building inside was dark.

  She couldn’t decide what was worse, the metallic tang or the scent of death.

  Creeping along the wall with her back flat, she raised the wristcom above her head and shuffled to the edge of the doorway.

  In one fluid move, she pivoted around the corner of the door into the room lowering the wristcom to shoulder height.

  The lights inside the building had already been on even though it was dark on the outside as a result of the trick-lighting on Kahari to hide what Saren was standing before.

  The room was empty except for the walls. Built into all four structures and rising to the ceiling farther than Saren could see, intricate machinery quietly hummed with life. Oddly shaped gears twisted and turned, revolving around even stranger cogs and responding to tensioner belts like robotic bugs, creeping up and down the wall.

  Thousands and thousands of finely tuned metal parts worked in tandem, making hardly any sound, lent an eeriness to the room she didn’t trust.

  Saren carefully approached the machinery, looking for a door to the next ring, mesmerized by the impossibly intricate craftsmanship when Daxton shouted her name from outside. She turned to call him inside, and he burst through the door, pistol raised.

  “Whoa! What the Great Gorgon is that?” he said, lowering the pistol, blinking several times. “I thought the lights were off.”

  “It’s what stopping us from getting out.”

  She looked at him, cocking an eyebrow, and said, “Wait—What did you say? Great Gorgon?”

  He looked away shrugging, and said, “I got no clue.”

  Okay.

  “Commander!”

  Ensign Brody ran through the door, blindly swinging both rocks like a pinwheel.

  Daxton quickly stepped aside to avoid a good braining, and, as he turned, Ensign Brody’s boot caught his left foot.

  Ensign Brody tumbled to the floor flat on his face. He slid a good couple of feet before he stopped, and the stone rods slipped from his grasp.

  Saren reached under his arm to help him up, and she noticed the rods rolling across the floor. The first one rolled to the left, bouncing off the base of the machinery and stopping. The second one veered to the right, hitting the machine and disappearing.

  A second later Grôk lumbered in holding a boulder, barely squeezing through the doorway. He released a bone-tingling roar and raised the rock high over his head, furiously blinking as he looked around.

  Daxton quickly addressed Grôk before he smashed everyone into the floor. “Grôk! Heel! Down boy! It’s just a trick of lighting.”

  “Yes, it is!” Saren shouted. “Yes, it most certainly is!”

  She let go of Ensign Brody’s arm dropping him back to the floor and ran over to the rod in front of the machine.

  He picked himself up, dusting off his pride and stood next to her. “What is it, Commander?”

  “I’m about to find out.”

  She carefully approached the wall where the rod disappeared.

  Daxton and Grôk joined them, exchanging puzzled looks.

  “I think it’s just like the door, hidden from sight.”

  Saren carefully probed the spot with the rod where the other had rolled in, and it slipped into the wall.

  “Whatta ye know!”

  She bent down, laying the rod on the floor pushing it gently forward until half of it disappeared into the structure and slowly rolled it side-to-side finding the perimeter. As she stood, she ran a hand along the side to make sure it was tall enough to fit through.

  “It’s a hologram, hiding the door to the Inner Ring,” she said, turning around and smiling.

  “What be all this machinery?” Ensign Brody’s eyes roamed around the room. “Never saw nothin’ like it. I can’t even see the ceiling.”

  “It must be what controls this entire planet—fascinating.”

  “That’s the Inner Ring door,” Daxton said, remembering the demon waiting for him in the next one over. “Please tell me it’s the Kek Dingy, or—no—the Outer, yeah—how about the Outer Ring?”

  His eyes frantically darted over the wall searching for a button or dial. “With all this machinery, can’t we dial it to the Outer Ring?”

  Daxton stepped forward, poking the pistol at one of the gears and tipping it off balance.

  “No!” Saren shouted.

  The angle of the gear’s rotation altered, causing a chain reaction. The cogs and tensioners around the gear began changing like a wave rippling up the wall.

  “Why would you do that?” Saren scolded, shaking her head. “D
o you realize what you’ve done?”

  “No, I—I’m sorry. I just don’t want to run into that demon. What’s going to happen?”

  The quiet humming turned into a frenzy of clanging sound like thousands of locks opening as the wave of gears, cogs, and tensioners kept shifting around the room.

  “I don’t fucking know! I just found it. You couldn’t give me a second, to look it over? I don’t think I want to find out,” she said, pointing to the hidden door. “In—NOW! Everybody!”

  She grabbed Daxton by the vest and shoved him into the wall, and he disappeared.

  The edges of the doorway were beginning to ripple.

  “Hurry—both of you! Don’t argue! Get in now!”

  Grôk snatched Ensign Brody off the floor and ran through.

  Saren was about to follow them into the door when she saw black liquid dripping through the twisting and turning gears on either side, confirming what she had thought.

  “Daxton may have just set everything right,” she said, slipping into the wall and disappearing.

  INNER RING

  AFTER Saren stepped through the door and left the Kek Ring, she braced herself expecting to be bombarded by more souls clawing at her. The feeling of vertigo was similar except now it felt more like traveling through multiple rooms at once, and the intense feeling of lament creeping into her consciousness was present, but not overpowering as in the Kek Ring.

  The souls in the Inner Ring hardly noticed her, if at all. They swirled around her just looking for a way out. Saren understood that they had died in Kek Ring and were now trapped here forever in the form of pure, collective energy, not like the individuality of souls in the Kek Ring which powered the machinery.

  The trip abruptly ended, and Saren stepped out of the door. Before her eyes and head cleared, she stumbled on something crumbly and began falling.

  A pair of furry arms grabbed her around the waist and steadied her on her feet.

  She shook her head, and her vision quickly cleared.

  “Mr. Brody!” she exclaimed. “What happened to your head?”

  “Aye! If this behemoth woulda just let me be, I’d be fine! When we came through, he tripped and fell, and nearly split me head open!”