Byron couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable at the way they moaned and pushed tongues into each other's mouths. He reminded himself of what Chetaara had told him about the relaxed attitude the Nikor had towards sexuality. She said sex was just like eating and drinking to them.
Khloe and Princess just stared with wide eyes. Xana raised an eyebrow while Scarlett watched with a big smile and glowing nipples.
When the five of them finally stopped kissing, the tallest female turned to the rest of them and asked, "Which one of you is the Master?"
Princess blinked and glanced around. "Uh, we do not--"
Chetaara held out her hands to Byron. "This one is my Master."
The tall female bowed her head. "Being bonded to a priestess is a great honor. To be bonded to a non-Nikora is an even rarer event. You must be an extraordinary being."
Byron glanced around and shrugged. "Uh, not really, but I try."
"What brings you all to our land?"
Chetaara began to speak quickly with broad gestures. "We have come from beyond the stars on a mission of great urgency. There is one on this world named Otis Accolade who could help us free Nikor from the Necralia Empire. He is being held in Camp Alpha-Seven."
The tall female grunted. "If your friend is at Alpha-Seven, he may be dead already. But we will help you reach him. It is a long walk. Take one of our steeds for the journey."
The female turned and made a whistling noise.
A creature rose from the grass, hidden like the others. It reminded him of a cross between a camel and a horse but with six legs instead of four. It had a row of humps on its back, and a furry body with long, hairless legs. The creature made a trilling noise as it trotted over to them.
Chetaara smiled as she took the creature's snout and rubbed it with affection. "This is a fine hesturra. We shall return her, and the goddess will bless you for this gift."
She took hold of ropes around its neck and pulled herself onto one of the creature's humps. As she steadied herself, she beckoned to the others.
Byron grit his teeth as he took hold of the ropes. He'd never tried to get onto a horse in his life, and this creature didn't even have a saddle or stirrups. Yet somehow, he must have gained the skill because he climbed onto the creature, and settled onto one of the humps in seconds.
That kind of made sense, considering he was in a video game. When he played Grand Theft Auto, it never made him work a lot to get into a car or a plane.
All of them fit on the back of the hesturra creature. When they all sat comfortably on it, the creature began to run.
Byron had to hang onto the ropes as the creature ran much faster than he expected. It felt like they went so fast with the wind howling past his ears that the hesturra could have beaten a Ferrari in a race. In what felt like minutes, they reached the edge of the mountain range, and the creature skidded to a halt.
When they all had dismounted, Chetaara patted the creature on its nose, and it turned to run off the way it came. The way it disappeared within seconds confirmed his impression of its speed. It made sense that there would have to be a fast way to cross the planet, otherwise travel would be really slow in the game.
Chetaara pointed off to one side. "We must approach from the East. The camp will be well-defended, but there is a vantage point where we can view it from above."
They all readied their guns before heading in the direction she pointed, keeping low to the ground. Byron had his laser pistol in hand, a Scorpio that had gotten him out of many jams. When they came up over a ridge, they looked down from a cliff onto an open area with a compound below.
The camp was a lot bigger than he expected, a series of ten square buildings surrounded by high gates. On one side, the gate opened towards a path leading to the mountains. Byron could see an opening carved into the side of the mountain, and vehicles and people moved back and forth from the cave entrance to the camp.
"There it is," Chetaara said. "Camp Alpha-Seven."
Princess pulled out her tablet, and tapped the screen a few times. That somehow made a wireframe image of the camp float in mid-air for them to see.
She pointed to the holographic camp. "According to the blueprints, I do not believe we can enter through the front entrance. They have armed guards, scanners, and drones. We need to get in through the back. There's a maintenance shed here. We might be able to tunnel through somehow."
Byron looked at the actual camp below them. "We don't have much time to start tunneling. It sounds like Accolade is in trouble. Who knows if he's still alive down there? Why can't we go through the front entrance? Maybe we can sneak aboard one of the transports going inside."
She narrowed her eyes. "Byron-san, you think we have time to study their whole delivery system and find a way to get past it?"
He took a deep breath. "Like we have time to be digging tunnels?"
She brushed her long black hair out of her eyes. "Byron-san, I am the--"
"Halt!"
The word froze Byron's whole body as it came from behind him, along with the click of a gun being readied.
The deep voice called out, "Drop your weapons, and put your hands in the air!"
He glanced at Princess who grit her teeth while dropping her gun. Byron took a moment to consider trying to run for it, but then did the same. Chetaara and Scarlett looked at each other while letting their weapons fall. Khloe was the last to let her gun drop. In the meantime, he and the others all raised their hands.
"Stand up and turn around!" the deep voice yelled. "Slow!"
Byron turned as slowly as he could, hoping to see one guy they could overpower. His hopes sank as he faced ten Death Troopers standing behind them, all with rifles aimed at their heads.
The Death Trooper standing right in front of him charged forward and kicked the rifles and pistols off the edge of the cliff. Byron watched his beloved Scorpio pistol tumble off into the rocks below.
The soldier swung his rifle to club Byron in the head. Byron staggered back and had to grab Khloe's arm to keep from falling off the cliff.
"Under Imperial law, you are trespassing on sovereign land," the Death Trooper growled through his faceless mask. "You're all under arrest. Let's go."
Chapter 13
BYRON KEPT his hands in the air as he marched across the grasslands. He tried to think of a way to escape, but things seemed worse the closer they came to the camp.
As Princess had said, the entrance was heavily defended. Huge metal doors slid open only to allow transports to rumble through. He could see armed guards in towers, and walking around the gate. Small metal globes floated in the air, scanning everyone who walked by. The place looked like a fortress.
As they walked through the gates, game text appeared to him.
NEW OBJECTIVE: ESCAPE PRISON
REWARDS: 15,000 XP, 5,000 CREDITS
Other than the guards, the only people walking outside the compound were prisoners. Nikora shuffled across the dirt and grass, headed in and out of the cave entrance on the mountain. Some of them pushed empty mining carts or carts full of glittering blue crystals. Others dragged ropes or chains that hoisted machinery. All the Nikora wore chains around the neck, ankles, and wrists but nothing else. Pain etched their faces as they worked, and most looked sick or thin to the point of looking skeletal.
When one Nikora male stumbled, a Death Trooper took a metal tube from his belt and flicked it. The tube unleashed a whip made of energy like a flexible lightsaber. He cracked it across the Nikora's back.
Chetaara lunged towards the fallen Nikora, but a Death Trooper shoved her back alongside Byron.
"Not yet," he whispered as he held her.
She looked at him with tears running down her face. "My people are suffering."
"I know. We'll free them all." He looked into her green eyes. "I promise."
At that moment, he knew it was true. He couldn't just go in to save Accolade. He had to shut the camp down somehow. He didn't know how or when, but if he was the Outsider, h
e had to find a way.
Chetaara just nodded.
They continued walking to the gate with Death Troopers followed them.
As they approached, some of the soldiers began laughing.
One said, "Hey, we got some variety now. A robot, a green chick, and two Earthling bitches."
Another rubbed his crotch. "I'll take the toaster. She looks like she'll do what she's told. Like suck my dick."
Scarlett snarled at him. "Try it and I'll bite it the fuck off."
The soldier laughed as he unhooked an energy whip from his belt and lashed it at her. She screamed as it struck her arm.
The Death Trooper pushed a button to make the whip dissolve into a puff of light. "Plenty o' girls here felt the same way. But they all came around. And you will too."
Byron threw himself at the Death Trooper, knocking him to the ground. He punched the black faceless helmet. It felt like it broke two of his fingers, but he could hear a satisfying crack of the trooper's head bouncing off the inside.
The other Death Troopers dragged him off, and one punched Byron in the stomach.
Even as he doubled-over in pain, Byron gasped, "You - won't - fucking - touch any of them."
Scarlett gave the soldier two middle fingers before helping Byron back onto his feet.
The Death Troopers laughed, except for the one Byron punched who staggered to his feet, shaking his head.
The gates swung open, and Byron trudged through it with his crew. A huge factory rumbled at the heart of the compound with carts of blue crystals rolling through it. Smaller buildings scattered around had soldiers trudging in and out of them, sometimes leading Nikora in chains.
The soldiers led Byron to one of the buildings with a flag flying in front of it of a woman's cruel but beautiful face.
"That's Lady Necralia," Scarlett whispered.
He blinked in surprise. "That's her? The way people talked about her, I expected Lady Necralia to be some hideous old lady."
"Yeah, no. She's fucking hot, dude. Too bad she's, like, all evil and shit."
Inside the building, they walked down a long hallway with framed portraits of Lady Necralia. Some had her standing on a pile of skulls, others sitting on a throne made of human bones. In all of them, she wore what looked like a skimpy bikini made out of bone.
"Seems a little over the top," he muttered.
As they walked closer to the closed door at the end of the hall, they could hear a loud grunting and the sound of flesh slapping flesh. When the door slid open, they walked into a wide office with filing cabinets along the walls. Furs decorated the walls along with golden masks. At the far end, a table stood with four Nikora women sitting around it, all with heavy chains around their wrists. Metal collars surrounded their necks.
Behind the table sat the fattest man Byron had ever seen, in real life or in the game. He was a monstrous whale with a neck that just flowed right into a naked bloated torso with arms that looked like tubes of fat. His white skin and eyes showed he was from Necros, but he had no hair. A fifth Nikora bounced herself up and down in his lap, making the smacking sounds.
The fat man barely raised one of his hands. "I hope you don't mind. You interrupted my afternoon session."
With that, he grunted several more times, seemingly in orgasm as the Nikora became still. When he sagged, the female climbed off him to crawl into a corner. She looked at him with open contempt and hatred, as did all the Nikora around the fat man.
He wiped his bald head with a cloth before he smirked. "As you can see, this position has many fringe benefits."
He waved a stubby finger at Byron. "It seems you enjoy a harem as well. My compliments."
Chetaara snarled. "My Master does not have to keep women in chains. We choose to be with him."
The fat man chuckled. "I prefer women in chains. It makes things so much easier. No need for flattery, deception, or expensive courtship rituals. Besides, the women are already here and under my control. This seems to be the most expedient option. Ah, but where are my manners?"
He tapped a button on the belt around his waist.
The fat man began to move out from behind the desk, but not on his own. A metal ring surrounded his enormous stomach, and mechanical spider legs carried him around the desk into the center of the office. His real legs dangled uselessly under him.
The fat man bowed his head. "I am Commander Utton Skarr, the administrator of this facility. I must say I am quite surprised to see you here. I heard the reports of a wanted fugitive named Byron Jones, but never thought I would see you turn up at a desolate shithole of a world such as Nikor."
"Nikor is a paradise," Chetaara screamed.
Skarr grimaced and flicked a finger.
One of the guards stepped forward to slap her on the face. Byron lunged at him, but was held back by two guards. He wished he could turn on his strongman code, but he had used up his NRG reserves and couldn't use his power again for twenty-four hours.
Skarr seemed bored as he said, "I don't tolerate Nikora getting out of line here in my camp. You will speak only when spoken to, is that clear?"
Chetaara just spat at him.
Skarr raised his eyes. "Oh, that reminds me. Captain Kurrs, will you do the honors?"
One of the Death Troopers didn't wear a helmet, showing he had a scar running down one side of his pale face. He stepped closer to Chetaara while drawing out what looked like a hypodermic needle from his belt several inches long.
Four Death Troopers came up to Chetaara, and grabbed her arms and legs. They forced her onto her knees as she screamed at them.
"What are you doing to her?" Byron yelled.
Skarr set his hands down on his stomach. "Just cutting her balls off. Metaphorically speaking, of course."
As the soldiers held Chetaara down, the scar-faced Necrosi captain jabbed the needle into her spine at the base of her neck. She howled as a blue light poured out of her eyes and mouth like water to fade away before hitting the floor.
When it all drained out, the troopers let her go, leaving her gasping and sobbing on her knees.
Skarr nodded. "There. That will disable her NRG implant. Those pesky things are in so many of these savages. Wouldn't want her to use the infernal thing to escape."
He heaved a sigh. "Right. Lady Necralia has said she wants Mister Jones alive, but she didn't say anything about his being in good condition. So until we get orders from High Command, you are to be my prisoners. I'll treat you no differently than any other prisoner, so you'll follow all the rules, which are quite simple. In short, you belong to me now. What you eat, when you sleep, what you think, and where you shit are no longer your decisions. They are mine. You will do what I say, when I say. You will work hard and if you stay out of trouble and make me happy, you will survive. It won't be a pleasant life, but it will at least be bearable. If you cause problems--"
"We'll die?" Byron growled.
Skarr narrowed his eyes. "Oh, no. I'll just make you wish you had. Then again, you may not be here long, and Lady Necralia will do far worse than I could ever dream of here. So let's just make the most of our time, shall we? Take them to processing."
As Skarr's metal legs carried him back around his desk, Captain Kurrs yelled, "Let's go. To processing."
Byron and the others were shoved out of the office and down the hallway again. They stumbled back into the heat and towards another building nearby.
This building seemed more like a warehouse with high ceilings and rough wooden planks forming walls dividing the floor. The guards pushed Byron and the women with him up against a tiled wall. Before he could even wonder why, a guard turned a hose on them.
The women shrieked as the icy spray hit them. The blast was strong enough to push Byron up against the wall, which was even colder. Even though it was only a few seconds, it felt like hours before the hose was turned off, leaving them all soaked and shivering. The women all had nipples hard enough to cut glass while Byron didn't think he'd have to worry about his erection
for a while.
They let themselves be shoved over to another area where a Necrosi male wore a white coat and rubber gloves. He nodded at Byron. "Bend over. Hands on your knees."
Byron stared at him for a moment, thinking of all the prison movies he'd seen. "Is that really necessary?"
The doctor smiled. "We must check for contraband."
"You really think I have a lockpick or a crowbar up my ass?"
One of the guards raised his rifle and pointed it. "Do it! Now!"
Byron sighed and bent over.
The doctor's fingers were cold but thorough.
When he was done, the doctor did the same to the women, although he seemed to take longer to examine them.
At one point, Scarlett jumped and spun around to punch the doctor in the face. "Hey, you wanna do that, you gotta buy me dinner first, motherfucker."
As the doctor stumbled back with blood streaming down her face, two guards punched and kicked Scarlett onto the floor.
They were led out of the examination area to another part of the building where they were pushed up against the wall in another lineup.
Captain Kurrs paced in front of them. "Ladies and gentlemen, the commander gave you his little speech. Now it's time for mine. I'm not here for money or pussy. I'm here because it's my duty to be here. I am loyal to the mighty and honored Lady Necralia who has graced the Galaxy with her divine wisdom and guidance. She ordered me here and has allowed this planet to exist under her rule because it is valuable to her, and that value is under our feet."
He held up a small shard of crystal. "These are trallium crystals, and they are the reason Lady Necralia's ships can travel through hyperspace to spread her will across the stars. She needs them, and we are here to get them. As far as I'm concerned, you all exist for one purpose, and that's to get these fucking crystals out of the ground. That is the sole reason for your continued survival. If you cannot do that or if you interfere with that, then you are a liability, and I do not tolerate liabilities."
He put the crystal back in his pocket and began to pace again. "You will get one meal a day, and it will be enough to keep you alive, and no more. All prisoners work in the mines. No exceptions. You can't work, you will be shot. You try to escape, you will be shot. You cause any trouble, if you're lucky, you will be shot. If you're unlucky, I will make an example of you and you will be punished until you wish you'd been shot."
Mine Shaft: A LitRPG Sci-Fi Harem Adventure (Venus Online Book 4) Page 9