by Jeff Walsh
“Thanks,” he said.
“I'd hate to be the one who launched those torpedoes though,” Omnis said. “Bartl's fury will be a sight to behold. Alvin was his baby.”
Marcus puzzled his face.
“Alvin,” Omnis said. “That crazy AI was Bartl's creation. He was a one-of-a-kind too. No other droid like him anywhere in the universe. Heck, I've lost count on how many times Alvin managed to get me out of a tough jam.”
Omnis reached over to the kitchen terminal and materialized another glass. He grabbed the Inris wine and poured two drinks.
“Don't bother saying 'no' this time,” he said. “This drink's for Alvin.”
Marcus took the glass; the two clinked them together and gulped down the drink.
“To Alvin,” Omnis said.
“To my friend,” Marcus muttered.
҉
The white canvas cleared from their vision and in its place was an empty square room. Anthony looked around, taking a moment to let his mind adjust to the transwarp he and the others just experienced. His last thought was that of a holographic Tira coldly staring at him as they pulled him from the Platnium.
The room was a light gray with padded walls encircling the entirety from top to bottom. The floor was a highly polished black, whether metal or something other, Anthony couldn't tell. Nestled above in the ceiling, running the length of the room, were recessed lighting fixtures. A blue'ish white energy ran through the fixtures, flickering, but with such intensity that the light of the room never dulled at all.
“Cozy,” Bartl said.
His muffled voice caused Anthony to turn. Bartl was no more than a ten feet away yet his voice was drowned out as though he were speaking on the other side of a wall.
“Sound proof,” Taam said. “Or at least dampened. I expect we'll be joined shortly.”
The three stood around for quite some time, with not a sound or visit to be had.
“Looks like they forgot about us,” Taam muffled out.
“Nah,” Bartl said. “They fixed this room up just for us. I can't find where it is, but there's definitely a camera watching and scanning us.”
Bartl pulled and pushed on every crevice and crack he could find in the room. Unfortunately, he found nothing of interest. The padding on the walls was fresh and clean, looking nearly new. The flooring was recently polished. Even the lighting was recently installed.
“This room is meant to mess with us,” he continued. “Everything is out in the open; they're letting us inspect everything. They want us to feel like we're at ease in here, but without any way out. They want us to feel panicked and trapped. My guess is that the sound dampeners will begin to fluctuate, enhancing sound so every breath is deafening, then disorienting us by shutting sound completely off. Except,” he paused.
Anthony stepped closer and said, “Except what?”
“Except they know Bartl and I can sit through stuff like that for a long while before we begin to break down,” Taam said. “They're testing you.” He pointed at Anthony.
“Me?” Anthony questioned. “Why me?”
One of the panels in the room made a faint click and turned inward revealing a door.
The three turned to see Commander Tira step into the room followed by a dozen Attillian soldiers.
Tira looked upward, toward a corner of the room, and nodded.
The three could feel the sound dampener fall.
“Very observant Sergeant,” Tira said addressing Bartl. “I'd expect no less from you. Your deduction of this room was spot on. Well, with the exception of your numeric count of possible cameras. You used the singular 'camera' when in fact we have many ways of observing you in this room.”
Tira turned and addressed Taam. “As for the length of time you and your uncle could've remained in here Corporal, well, this room is rather persuasive when we need it to be.”
Anthony kept a straight face through Tira's little speech. If the room was meant to be a test of will, every word from Tira's mouth would be no different.
Tira paused, allowing himself to glance at Bartl then to Taam. He smiled and chuckled to himself. “You two really can pick them.” He turned and looked to Anthony.
Anthony stared him down.
“Such an aggressive look,” Tira said. “And for what? Intimidation? Defiance? I may not look it, but I am not unfamiliar with many forms of hand-to-hand combat. My physiology allows me a certain level of strength and speed far greater than anything you could accomplish. I've seen things that would destroy a mind like yours. And I know things you couldn't even comprehend. I say this so that you may know there is nothing you can say or do that would intimidate me. And should I wish to break your defiance, I have many effective tools at my disposal.”
“At least you aren't trying to play friend,” Anthony said.
“No,” Tira responded. He slowly walked closer to Anthony. The two were no more than few inches apart. “Sir Halen played a much different angle. He enjoyed the emotional manipulation of others far more than I. You see, I grow bored easily. I've no need to prove my mental prowess to lesser beings. And a lesser being you most certainly are.”
“Which is why you chose to lock us up in a room like this,” Anthony said. His eye contact with Tira remained unflinching. “I'm sure your little speech with the Sergeant and Corporal was meant for them. Why else would you refer to them using such titles? As you said, there's definitely no way any of that has anything to do with such a lesser being, is there?” Anthony paused for a second. “Oh, and in case you and your superior intellect can't decipher tone, we call that sarcasm. Good speech none-the-less, Commander.”
Tira reached up with blurring speed and struck Anthony across the face with the back of his hand.
Anthony was tossed from his feet and flew backward before striking the ground.
“Sarcasm is the tool of those without true recourse,” Tira said. “As such, I can simply resort to more direct means. A means you have no power to resist or halt. Keep that in mind as next time you wish to speak to me in such a manner. I will not hesitate to just end you if need be.”
“Jokes on you,” Anthony said as he stood. He spat blood onto the floor. “I know my position. I'm one of three, and the only one of those three you have on board. You can strut confidence across the galaxy, but Genny's on the Imperium and Marcus is beyond your grasp. If you want Volja before Prime Command, or Central Core, or whoever else is after that planet, you need me.”
“That was the point of the test,” Tira said as he turned and walked back toward Taam and Bartl. “It turns out we don't.”
Tira motioned for the soldiers to escort the group from the room.
The soldiers approached Anthony first. They grabbed him at the elbow. He jerked his arm hard, but the grip of the soldier was unbelievably strong.
Tira glanced back and smirked at the fact that Anthony was quickly realizing the difference in sheer strength between himself and the Attillians. He turned back and leaned in toward Bartl and Taam. Anthony was ushered by and could see Tira whispering something to them.
Anthony said nothing to Taam and Bartl as they traveled through the Starfaller. Tira had not stayed with the group. As they exited he turned and went left while the others were escorted right. After quite a few minutes Anthony noticed a trail of what he assumed to be blood, although it was an extremely dark, nearly black color. It looked as though someone, or something, had been dragged from a room and taken down this particular hallway. Every turn they made now followed the trail of blood. The soldiers stopped at a large doorway and a light from the top center scanned them all. A moment later the doors slid open and Taam, Bartl, and Anthony were shoved inside. The doors slid shut.
The room was barely lit with the exception of the tiniest flicker of lights from above.
“Well that was fun,” Bartl said.
Taam turned to look at Anthony. The lights flickered on for a moment then went black. “I bet you have some questions,” he said to Anthony.
No respon
se came.
The lights flickered on. Anthony stood frozen, eyes wide.
“You alright?” Taam asked.
Bartl turned to see the cause of Anthony's fright.
Moving slowly toward them was a large creature. It was half covered in a thick crimson substance, the other half exposed flesh. The creature looked like it had been beaten nearly to death. Black blood dripped from its gaping mouth and wounds resembling slash marks ran across its chest.
Anthony immediately connected the bloodied drag marks on the floor outside to this creature.
As the lights flickered Anthony saw the crimson substance slowly dripping from the figure causing its face to look half melted.
Bartl and Taam darted away from the creature, but Anthony remained unmoving. He felt one of the two reach up and grab him from under the arm and pull him back toward the door.
The creature lumbered forward a few more steps. The crimson substance plopped to the ground as it dripped from certain sections. It raised one of its six arms and pointed to Taam.
Anthony looked to Taam who stood, somewhat solemnly, staring down the creature.
“Well,” Bartl said. “You were wrong.”
Taam didn't react.
“What...”Anthony stuttered. “What are you talking about?”
“The Zorg wasn't out there,” Taam answered. He turned to Anthony and pointed to the creature. “The Attillians found him before we could.”
“Meet Ellidron,” Bartl said. “The Zorg hacker we were looking for, and the same one it looks like the Attillians have been torturing for information.”
“Heezarians,” Ellidron coughed out. Black blood sputtered from his mouth. His eyes rolled back as he hobbled forward another step. A moment later the Zorg crumpled to the floor.
Chapter 18
“What do you think you're doing?” Bartl blurted out. He grabbed at Taam's arm to pull him back.
Taam snapped away and spun to look Bartl in the eyes.
“We're trapped here in case you hadn't noticed,” Taam responded. “Our ship is floating dead in space, waiting to be towed into the Starfaller. And those cell doors they just slammed shut are reinforced star hardened urtronium. We aren't getting out of here without his help,” Taam said as he pointed to the barely breathing Zorg on the floor.
“What are you thinking?” Bartl asked. “I'm reckless, but this is insane. This is the guy who ripped off our arsenal of weapons, the same guy who uploaded the virus that shut Alvin down. He isn't our friend or ally, he's a dirty Zorg. We, all of us, need to stay as far away from him as we can. He's dying and we're the only three options available for him to stay alive. Once his host is gone so is he, and the universe is better off without him.”
“And so is any chance of getting the gizmo he used to shut down space travel,” Anthony blurted out. “Along with the matrix he stole from you; you remember, the one you used to ghost my planet? I don't know what kind of history you have with these Zorg, or all the horrible things they've done, but if this guy is gives us chance of finishing what we're out here to do, then you better keep him alive. And if I'm being honest, your racism is showing,” he pointed to Bartl. “So maybe tuck it back in or dial it back, whatever you need to do because this guy can actually help us right now.”
Bartl cursed and spit on the ground. “Let's see if you two are still singing that tune when he slaves us all. Zorg aren't friendly, and you,” Bartl said as he shoved his finger in Taam's face, “know better than this.”
“You think I forgot what they did?” Taam belted out. “Who the Zorg took from us back then?”
Bartl just looked him in the eyes.
“We both lost someone that day, not just you,” Taam continued. “But Ellidron wasn't the one who pulled the trigger. Look at his color, he's young, really young. By the looks of it, he isn't even old enough to have been in the war. So take all your misdirected hatred and lock it down; we need this guy.”
Anthony just stood there quietly, realizing he'd accidentally stepped into a conversation that had far deeper roots than he could've known. He looked to Taam then to Bartl; the two were locked in a cold stare.
Finally Bartl spun away and tossed his hands in the air. “You're going to do what you want anyway, so let's just get it over with.”
Taam turned and stepped toward the Zorg, albeit carefully. His vac-suit fluttered up and around his hands covering them with gloves.
Taam grabbed under one of Ellidron's arms and rolled him to his back. His host body had been beaten brutally. All across his chest and arms were deep gashes that had been burned shut to prevent bleeding out.
“Who did this to him?” Anthony asked. He watched as Bartl turned and addressed him.
“The Attillians,” Bartl said. “This is standard interrogation procedure. However badly you think his injuries felt, know it was about ten times worse. The Attillians have ways of making every little thing they do excruciating.”
“Wonderful,” Anthony said.
Eldiron lifted his head and coughed; black blood sputtered out. “You need to get to my ship. It's in hangar twelve.”
“What've you done with the matrix and destablizer?” Taam asked flatly.
“On my ship,” Eldidron wheezed out. “But it's locked. The farukin' Attilians can't open it. They think they're so superior, but I showed them, put them in their place.”
“We need to get you out of here and onto your ship,” Taam said.
“Too late,” Ellidron said. “Host is nearly gone, but don't worry, I'm done. I did a sweep of Zorg space, everyone's dead and I want to go with them. Just promise me, wipe these farukin' Attillians out.”
Anthony watched as Taam remained quiet for a second, just staring down at Ellidron.
“How?” Taam finally asked. “How do we get on-board your ship? Tell me, and I promise to burn every one of these blatnards.”
“There's a panel,” Ellidron said. His voice grew raspier. He began to cough violently, blood spattered from his mouth. “Just below the right docking clamp, it's cloaked, but there's an access pad you can use to board my ship.” He began to cough once again. He caught his breath and continued, “The cloak deactivation is the Zorg symbol for strength engraved on the clamp itself. Press on the symbol, a keypad will light up. Ven, ven, iet dash pron, xwn, ven is the code to unseal the ship. Once inside you'll need to access to the main AI. Access command Ait-Ellidron-7337, password is eald thiw ti.”
“Thank you,” Taam said.
Ellidron let his head fall back to the ground.
Taam stood and took a step toward Bartl and Anthony. “Well, now we just have to figure out how to get out of here.”
From behind, Anthony watched as Ellidron's arms rose into the air.
Bartl's eyes widened.
Ellidron snapped forward with two of his hands and clasped down on Taam's arm. With a third he ripped free a section of Taam's vac-suit. And before the vac-suit could repair itself, with another arm, Ellidron lurched forward and clamped down on Taam's exposed flesh.
Ellidron moved so quickly Anthony could barely process any of it.
Bartl darted forward. “Taam,” he yelled. “NO!”
Ellidron yanked Taam backward, off his feet, but caught him with his two remaining arms before he crashed down to the floor.
Taam's body was twiching as Ellidron held him in the air. “Stop,” Taam barked out. “Please, don't.”
Anthony turned and saw Bartl step toward Ellidron and Taam, rage burning in his eyes.
“I'll kill you,” Bartl growled out.
“Not him,” Taam snapped back. “You.” Taam held up his free arm indicating to Bartl to stand back.
Bartl froze in place.
Anthony watched as Ellidron put Taam back on his feet and released him.
Taam hunched over and caught his breath. “That was intense.”
“May my consciousness reside in our hive mother forever more,” Ellidron weezed out.
Bartl just stood, teeth clenched,
his face reddening.
“It's okay,” Taam said to Bartl. His vac-suit repaired itself. “Calm down, I'm fine.”
“Like vhul you are,” Bartl said. “Everyone always thinks they're fine, that's how it works. You aren't supposed to know you're slaved.”
“Anyone going to address the creepy thing our hacker guy just said,” Anthony said to no one in particular.
Taam stepped toward them and both Anthony and Bartl stepped back.
Taam chuckled. “It's the final words of the Zorg hive,” he said. “And,” he turned to Bartl. “Where are you two going to run if I have been slaved? We're in an empty room that's no more than ten unecs across. He could've slaved us all and there wasn't a thing we could do about it.”
Taam looked back at Ellidron, which caused Anthony to do the same.
“But he didn't,” Taam said quietly.
The Zorg wasn't breathing any longer and Anthony noticed that the blood pool grew larger by the second.
“Now,” Taam said snapping his gaze back to Bartl and Anthony. “If you'll just give it a moment.” He paused.
Anthony and Bartl waited. Silence lingered in the air.
Nothing happened.
Anthony looked around, then to Bartl, and back to Taam.
Bartl had shifted his weight, his posture now indicating agitation.
“Sorry,” Taam said, finally breaking the silence. “It's taking a bit longer than I expected.”
The flickering light within their cell went dark, while at the same moment, the star forged cell door slid open.
Anthony and Bartl spun expecting soldiers, but no one entered. The hallway outside was empty, and nothing but emergency lights lit the corridor.
Bartl and Anthony looked to Taam; a cheesy grin lit up his face.
“Shall we?” He asked as he strode across the room and out their cell.
“How the...” Bartl muttered as he and Anthony joined Taam.
“Ellidron,” Taam said. “And we need to hurry.”
The three sped down the corridor, Taam leading the way.
“Do you know where we're going?” Anthony asked. “Not that I'm complaining about being out of there, just curious.”