Zurey’s reaction was imminent, and nerve-racking. Zurey seemed to take a moment to digest this sudden and unsuspected turn of events. He no doubt knew if the princes were to persist this goal, the threat of war was too unfeigned. “There will be no discussion. There is no bargaining and no dealings. Slaves will remain slaves. You are now asked to leave at once,” Zurey demanded.
Akrillis felt their chances dwindling. Something had to be done. “I am Akrillis, son of Papyrus, the king of Jenemi. I come before you not only as a prince, but as an ambassador for the Tarian people, and we will not simply walk away from this. Let us be civilised and parley this in proper terms so we can avoid any unwanted troubles.”
“Very well. We will converse this further in my office. Anyone else on board?” Zurey asked.
“It’s just us,” Akrillis assured him.
“Your ship will remain under constant guard,” Zurey told them, before leading them to more private accommodations.
The brothers entered the many corridors and pathways running through the facility. The dirty steel halls were a concerning sight, after seeing the grittiness of the outside Akrillis had hoped the air inside was more breathable. Vanakis noticed the looks they were receiving from the Avayans. They certainly weren’t friendly looks.
“Hey,” a guard escorting them called. “Keep moving.”
“Um, actually,” said Val. “I wouldn’t mind just staying out here. All that political babble and nonsense has never really phased me.”
“It’s fine. I’m the one here to do the negotiations anyway,” Akrillis assured them.
“Very well,” Zurey decided. “Watch him,” he told a few of his guards.
The Avayans continued with Akrillis to Zurey’s private rooms.
“Try to behave,” Akrillis quietly told his brother.
“What am I, a child?” Asked Vanakis.
“You really want me to answer that?” Akrillis said and then followed the guards.
“Yes, mum. No worries, mum,” Val remarked.
In the back of his mind, Akrillis feared what trouble Vanakis would get into being left alone, but it was better than the trouble he could cause with the overseer.
As his brother was escorted, Vanakis was allowed to remain within non-restricted areas—under supervision, of course. Val watched from afar as slaves socialised and interacted with one another. It looked all too much like a prison exercise yard. He felt the constant eyes of Avayans watching as he strolled from one dirty room to the next. Vanakis eventually found himself in what appeared to be almost like a visitor’s room, bars separated either end of the rectangular chamber. On the less fortunate side, two slaves were in conversation—a tall Zantian and a Tarian without his tail. They both looked over as Val entered.
“I’ll catch up with you later,” the Tarian said to the Zantian.
As the Tarian left, the Zantian approached the bars, looking curious as to why a Tarian stands on the other side a free man.
“By the grace of Calhalla, it’s not very often we see one of your kind standing outside the bars,” the Zantian said as he went to lean up against his caged enclosure. “Though it is a welcome sight, indeed. Something that all of us here would certainly like to see more of.”
The guards didn’t seem to care about them interacting.
A slight chuckle started Val’s response. “And you’re the odd one out, aye.” Val said, converging on the Zantian. “Well, it seems no one is safe anymore,” he continued.
The Zantian's non-existent eyebrows scrunched.
“We’ve got you in here, reports of kidnappings in Nova, snatching people from left, right and centre, it would appear,” said Vanakis.
The tall white being looked puzzled. “Nova? The Tarian capital?”
“Well, so it would seem, anyway, that’s what brought us here,” Val informed the slave.
The Zantian paused. “And who is, us?”
“Me and my brother,” Val clarified. “We flew in from Jenemi.” He looked around and observed the place at the same time. Vanakis wasn’t very interested in the conversation. “We’re sons of King Papyrus. Of course, daddy doesn’t approve; he thinks it’s a lost cause. He’s probably right.”
“You came here to free slaves?” The Zantian sounded to be surprised by what he was hearing.
Vanakis returned eye contact, looking up at the lanky being, “Well, my brother seems to think we can.”
“And what about you?” he asked. “What do you think? Will you be a fire of hope for these people?”
Vanakis suddenly wrapped his face in a serious look, not something seen often. “You know what I think? Free your damn self.”
The Zantian stepped back in shock at the response thrown his way.
“You people—you sit here, you cry, and you beg for help. You ask for someone to come and save you, hoping that somebody else will solve things for you.” Val laughed while shaking his head in frustration. “Stop waiting for somebody else to do it for you. These Avayan assholes have run these slave camps for thousands of years. You know why they keep doing it? Because they can. Because no one steps up and says otherwise. You’d rather lay down and hope somebody comes to save you.” The irritation in his voice grew with each roll of his tongue.
The white slave simply stood there as Val continued, clearly not sure what to make of it all.
“So, stop expecting someone else to do it for you. You want your salvation? You wanna walk out of here a free man? Do it yourself,” Val finally concluded as he left the room. His guard escort soon turned to follow.
The whole ordeal left mantis visibly shocked.
I suppose someone had to tell them how it is, as harsh as it might be. Ouch, this coffee’s hot. Only one sugar? I said three, we need to fire that Debra.
Laurelle hurried her way through the crowd. A sea of curious slaves that desperately tried to see through the fencing at the ship that landed nearby. The young girl bumped past Trydon as she squeezed her way to the front of the growing mob. Trydon then noticed his former doctor Corsa standing beside him.
“I trust you’re feeling better? The wound shouldn’t be too painful now,” the doctor assured.
“Yeah, it’s getting there,” Trydon told him.
“People are saying a ship landed, and it wasn’t Avayan,” said Corsa.
“They sure seem to be interested in it,” Trydon pointed out as he observed the horde of slaves trying to get a glimpse. “It was a Tarian ship. I’ve seen one of them wondering in the compound.”
“Tarian? From the homeworld?” Corsa wondered, “What was this Tarian doing?”
“I’m not really sure. Mr. Spiritual said he wanted to take the opportunity to speak with him.” He referred to Mantis, of course.
Zurey’s office overlooked the entire complex. Big glass windows opened to the polluted sky and welcomed the view of the structure and deserts beyond. Zurey stood behind his desk as he glanced out these windows. Tall smokestacks and aerials smothered the compounds’ roofing.
“Do tell me what you thought by coming here,” the overseer requested, hoping to learn just what these Tarians thought they could accomplish by simply showing up.
Akrillis took a deep breath. “As a future king, it is my duty to protect my people. That doesn’t just include the ones on our planet. It is time for change.”
As Zurey turned to finally face Akrillis, he explained their current situation. “There are over eight-hundred-million slaves on Rynok. Millions of compounds and camps. Over three-hundred-million Avayan soldiers, fleets, and armies, tanks and war machines. What in the maker’s name did you hope to achieve in coming down here and knocking on the front door?”
Silence was the Tarians answer.
“For fifty millennia, this operation has functioned strongly, and prospered. You really think any of that will change? You have overstepped your limits, young prince, and you have overstayed your welcome,” Zurey declared.
“You brought me all the way up here so you can tell m
e to leave?” Akrillis questioned.
“You won’t be leaving anytime soon,” Zurey clarified.
The guards standing watch at the door came to detain Akrillis.
“You’re more valuable to me as a prisoner than a guest. What nation would start a war when their future king stands hostage?” Zurey told the prince.
The guards went to grab Akrillis’ arms when he suddenly turned and punched one square in the face. As the other scrambled to grab a hold of the gun strapped around his waist, Akrillis pulled one of his two swords off his back and jammed it deep down the Avayan’s throat.
He pulled his sword out and turned to face Zurey, only to find no one. The overseer was already gone. Akrillis quickly covered his ears when the alarm started blasting his drums inside.
‘That bastard must’ve had a panic room,’ he thought to himself. Akrillis wasted no time and fled the office as fast as he could as panic ran through his veins.
This is getting a little tense. Oh, come on, there’s hardly any milk in this coffee! Nice job, Debra.
Vanakis was held at gunpoint while he was transported to who knows where. His hands rested behind his head as his desperation rapidly grew. Suddenly, he took hold of the Avayan’s rifle and bashed him in the face with its shoulderguard. Then, just as quickly, he turned to belt the other over the head. Val pulled his pistol from its holster and wasted no time in racing to find his way out and back to the ship. The problem was that he had no idea where he was going. He was in a labyrinth with no clue as to where to go, and an alarm blasted his ears. The agitation was flowing through him like a river of worry.
Vanakis pulled his communicator out. “Akrillis! Akrillis, come in!” After getting no response, he checked, only to realise there was no signal. “Typical,” he whispered under his breath.
Several Avayans abruptly exited a door just nearby. The guards and Val alike panicked from the surprise. Vanakis rolled into another open door. He slid across the dirt and grime that was found all over the compound. The guards open fired as Val darted, but they just missed the quick Tarian. Vanakis almost felt the rush of air from the bolts pass his head as he retreated to safety. Vanakis was quick to get up and take cover behind a desk.
He returned to the floor just as quickly as he kicked his foot on one of the tables legs. “Motherfucker!” he shouted, barely able hear his own voice over the gunfire and sirens. ‘Just what I needed,’ he thought.
The Avayans rushed into the room, ready to gun him down. To their surprise, they found a Tarian laying on the ground. Vanakis ended their lives as quickly as the pain zeroed in on his foot.
Guards dashed down corridors and scrambled to get into order. As a pack of security forces hurried through the facility, one was pulled around the corner; unbeknownst to the rest. Akrillis quickly snapped his neck.
“Akrillis, come in!” Val’s voice suddenly shouted over the comm.
“Vanakis, where are you?” Akrillis asked.
“Enjoying my Sunday latte, what else?” Val responded.
“Get your ass to the ship. We’re leaving!” Akrillis demanded.
“But things were just getting interesting,” Vanakis laughed.
Akrillis became more and more frustrated with his brother. “Vanakis, now!” He yelled.
“All right, all right, I’m going,” Val finally decided to cooperate.
Akrillis finally found his way back to landing strip seven. He charged out onto the sandy gravel toward the Azura and found no shortage of resistance. Akrillis secured cover behind the cargo crates and barrels littering the area.
Vanakis was fighting off Avayans, splashing blood over the walls of Omega. A direct shot to the head left one guard with his brains splattered about. One hostile bolt just grazed Val’s fingers. Vanakis opened his pistol—a feature present in many modern firearms. It unfolded and almost transformed itself into a fully capable rifle. With two hands firmly on the weapon, he began blasting blood and organs at a fully automatic rate. Val’s kill count increased faster and faster with his machine gun in hand. A guard caught Vanakis at point-blank range as the Tarian passed the corner. The Avayan slapped Val hard across the face, and an almost whip-like sound shot across the corridor.
“Don’t slap me,” Val told the guard.
As the Avayan hesitated, Vanakis slapped him back.
“You woman.” Then, Val didn’t delay holding down the trigger until the guard’s body almost wasted away; his lifeless corpse hit the ground as the skeletal and fleshy remains of a former man.
“Where the hell are you?” Vanakis heard over the comm.
“Quite surprising, but I found some resistance along the way, brother,” he replied.
“Just get your ass here!” Akrillis demanded.
Val saw their ship just outside, when suddenly, several guards prevented his escape. Vanakis pulled the sword from his back, and he quickly eviscerated them with ease, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.
Vanakis bolted outside and up the ramp. “I’m in! Go, go, go!” Val shouted as he finally made it inside.
Avayans ran out after him and fired on the craft.
Akrillis began liftoff. The three engines started up and a blue shine started erupting from the rear ends. The cat-bobblehead rocked. Akrillis strapped himself into the pilot’s chair. The Azura began to float up off the ground. Akrillis pushed the throttle forward and she took off into the orangey sky.
Akrillis leaned back and let out a sigh of relief. Knowing they had made it out in one piece, he could finally relax. Akrillis was utterly gobsmacked and unsure what the next move should be, if there was to be a next move.
As the Azura continued to ascend the radar began to beep, he quickly noticed the approaching enemy fighter ships. They weren’t out of the atmosphere yet to make their escape, and without Vanakis on the bridge yet, it was up to Akrillis to deal with them. The prince noticed the rocky canyons nearby and thought it was the perfect place to lose them. With at least a dozen enemy ships inbound, he knew he needed every advantage he could get. His doubt in his piloting abilities weren’t helping his nerves, but he couldn’t worry about that now. Akrillis turned and drove the ship back down towards ground level, heading towards the canyons.
As the Azura pulled to the right, Vanakis—who was walking to the bridge—was suddenly pulled to the left, along with anything else not bolted down. Val flew across the metal room. Crates, boxes and even a chair or two went with him. Just about everything was flying around with Vanakis in this common area adjacent to the bridge, even the kitchen sink. Lounges and tables, that were thankfully bolted down, were the rooms most prominent features.
As Akrillis focused immensely on flying through the gorge ahead, he didn’t even notice the ‘no gravity’ light flashing amongst the dashboard. Upon entering the canyons, a rain of bolts fell down upon them. Akrillis swerved this way and that way, curving up here and down there. The bobblehead on the dash swerved its head all over the place. The ship remained unharmed—for now, at least.
Each time the Azura changed direction, Vanakis and the ship’s contents were thrown from one place to another.
As he hit the floor and finally had a moment to catch his breath, he shouted. “I thought you knew how to fly!”
“They’re shooting at us!” Akrillis yelled back, still oblivious to the lack of gravity while he was safely strapped into his chair.
As the unknowing pilot turned around a bend, Val went on yet another flying adventure across the room and slammed into a computer terminal. The Avayan fighters followed closely behind the Azura as she glided through the gully. One was unable to avoid the walls and found a rocky crevice as his final resting place.
Another hit a wall as well and splat against it like a bug—an extra-explosive bug. Akrillis turned upwards and out of the ravine into clear skies and, following close behind, were only a few remaining fighters. Once they achieved some height, the Azura flew downwards once more. Vanakis flew up and stuck to the ceiling as the ship continued to spi
n. Akrillis was waiting for the Azura to line up with their enemies before firing back. The ship performed a one-eighty to return fire. Two cannons extended from the hull.
Then, Akrillis heard his brothers screams. “Oh, shit.” Akrillis finally realised that he had forgotten to turn the gravity on.
Val and the debris fell back to the floor. Then, he just laid there enjoying the feeling of his insides once again being sucked down, instead of all over the place.
Once the angle was right, Akrillis opened fire. Bolts of plasma pulverised the remaining ships and Akrillis laughed in relief as they were, at last, dealt with.
“Will you take a look at this mess!?” Val shouted from another room.
“At least we got away in one piece,” Akrillis whispered to himself.
“Where the hell did you learn to fly?” Vanakis said as he entered the bridge.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Who just flew through death-defying canyons and annihilated dozens of enemy ships?” Akrillis asked.
“Oh, nobody likes a show-off,” Val replied. “Well, unless you wanna do it again, we gotta go.”
Akrillis then noticed the many more fighters en route. “They’re sending more already?” Akrillis couldn’t believe it.
“They’re gonna keep coming as long as we’re in their airspace. We need to leave this planet. I’m driving,” he declared.
The Azura ascended to the skies with Avayan fighters in hot pursuit, not far behind.
“They’re still following,” Akrillis informed.
“There was an asteroid belt around the planet; that’ll give us the edge we need,” Vanakis responded.
“Wait, are we really serious about this? An asteroid field?” Akrillis worried.
“We’re outnumbered. The belt will give us the cover we need, giving them something else to focus on, and evening out the playing field a bit,” Val explained.
“Yep, I’m going to die,” Akrillis told himself. He knew the odds of navigating through an asteroid field and surviving. He couldn’t believe how confident and calm his brother seemed about it, though. ‘Probably because he’s spent plenty of time running from those he pisses off every day,’ Akrillis thought.
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