by Mark Tufo
“Max, you are just a wonder, not only are you surviving, you kids seem to be thriving.”
“Yeah, I like that, it sort of rhymes. We have no choice, we have to do it lady, it’s for the little ones,” Max said.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
I felt healthy but I found myself just staring off and pondering not only my fate but that of the planet that housed all that I loved. I finally decided to get up off my ass and do something about it, I asked for and received a treadmill and some weight lifting machines. I did my best to not try and wonder where they had been confiscated from. I could allay my fears a little with the knowledge that more than likely they didn’t come out of any homeowner’s house. They were top notch machines, most likely confiscated from a Bally or a twenty-four hour fitness center. I didn’t think there’d be too many people at the gym these days anyway, trying to find ways to feed yourself would definitely take precedence over muscle-building. I lifted weights with a vengeance, but even that was undone by my single-mindedness on the treadmill. I ran three half marathons that final week, I possibly was going to die soon, but I wouldn’t be winded when it happened. That earned a laugh, I was starting to get desensitized to the whole fiasco, I knew in my soul I couldn’t beat Drababan one on one, he was the prototypical fighting machine. He was huge, he was skilled, he was faster than me, and possibly smarter. And he had faith, something I had lost somewhere down my long and winding road. I had no desire to make it easy on him, I wasn’t reveling in self-pity, I just knew the outcome. Oh, hell yeah, I was still going to try, but if I had any money I would have put it on him. The treadmill was my solace it kept me sane, or at least a near proximity to sanity. When I was on it, everything melted away—Beth, Deb, Paul, Indian Hill, my family—they couldn’t keep up with me when I ran. Drababan was going to win, but I was determined to make sure that I was honored higher than any other warrior he had ever encountered. That’s what I was training like a demon for.
“Drababan, come on in,” I answered effortlessly as my odometer turned to eight miles.
“I do not wish to intrude on your workout routine, Miiike,” Drababan answered almost sheepishly. Yeah a wolf in sheep’s clothing maybe.
“What brings you here at this late time?” At least I thought it was late.
“Your recovery seems to be going exceedingly well.”
“Did you really come to see how my training is going?” I said looking into his eyes for the true meaning of his surprise arrival.
He glanced to the far wall first and then looked me straight in the eye. “Tomorrow is the day.”
I pulled the safety clip out of the treadmill and it came to a halt “Tomorrow, huh?” I answered as best I could between the rapid beats of my heart. I knew the outcome, that didn’t mean I was looking forward to it.
He glanced away again. He mystified the shit out of me.
“What’s the matter, Drababan? It almost looks like you care.”
“Miike, we must fight to your death tomorrow.”
“Drababan, don’t sugarcoat it.” I didn’t even wait to see if he would understand what I had just said.
“You, hu-man, are the closest thing that I have to a friend on this ship.”
If I hadn’t been holding on to the side rails of the treadmill I probably would have fallen over, that and the fact we were talking about my imminent death, I suppose.
“Friend?” I answered, but I guess that wasn’t so far out of the realm, we had talked for hours about our home worlds and growing up and the battles, I had at times forgot that this eight foot behemoth was my adversary. “Yeah, I guess the same goes for me too, Drababan, I hadn’t really thought about it before, but you’re definitely the closest thing that I have to a friend here too.” How much that really meant in the greater scope of things, I wasn’t sure, but I wasn’t displeased when he came around.
“I hope that your fight is a valiant one, I would greatly like to place you atop of those that I honor.”
Hell, now he was a mind reader. “I’ve got a surprise or two lined up for you my friend.”
Drababan stood straighter with my loose use of the word ‘friend’, he took it much more literally than it was intended but if it made him hesitate five-tenths of a second longer than normal before he skewered me, that would give me time for one last vision, and it would most likely be Beth.
"I hope that you take solace in the fact that you will at least die on home soil." Drababan told me.
"What?"
"Have you not been told? The fight is to take place on your planet."
"Are you kidding me?" I asked. Drababan frowned, I'm pretty sure. I should know better, a comedian would easily starve to death on his home world. "Death is death Drababan I take no solace wherever it happens, but it will be nice to see my home one final time."
He nodded his head and stepped out.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Is everything ready?” Paul asked, never looking up from his desk.
“Yes,” Major Salazar answered.
Paul placed his pen down and looked Frank straight in the eye. “It had damned well better be.”
Frank saluted, turned and walked out.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Mike Journal Entry 4
The trip to Earth went a lot smoother than my last venture. Drababan and I sat on opposite sides of the transport ship. I was completely focused on my opponent, he seemed to be rapt in meditation. Except for the shifting and bustling about of the fifty or so Devastator troops the journey was exceedingly quiet.
Drababan had told me that the invasion of Earth would start the day after his defeat of me, I sat dumbfounded as I looked over at the troops who knew that this was their last easy day of duty, tomorrow they would begin to earn their keep with a full onslaught on my home world. They were confident, but they weren’t stupid, you don’t take over a planet without casualties, and each one would fight to the death to protect his comrade while also praying to whatever comforted them to make sure they weren’t the one to have their life ended. Drababan gazed in my direction, but he had the glazed over look of someone on quality tranquilizers, his eyes reminded me of my own on some nights at school. I involuntarily snorted a small laugh, if anyone, including Drababan, noticed no one reacted. Drababan was deep in his private thoughts, he most likely wouldn’t even know if I tried to kill him now. There was a thought, I could end this thing before it even started. Although I knew the fifty or so troops would have something to say about that.
We landed with little fan fare. I don’t know what I was expecting, a welcome committee perhaps or maybe a rescue party—now wouldn’t that have been a surprise. Half of the guard detail exited the shuttle first followed by Drababan, myself and then the rest of the Devastator troops. The shuttle took off the moment the last troops’ feet hit terra firma, but it didn’t go far and why I was to learn soon. It hovered about a thousand feet over our heads, most likely to guard against any insurgents, but also to be able to broadcast the proceedings, and another surprise that it bestowed upon us. Almost instantly the giant crater began to take a new shape, blurred at first. The effect was dizzying. I gazed about and could not get a fix on anything, but as the image became clearer, I was at once awed and terrified. The image became that of the old coliseum in Rome, it was amazing but unlike the changes that took place on the ship this was more of the hologram type. This was clearly only an overlay of the land with which we stood. It was very disconcerting, what appeared to be the solid ground of the stadium did not take into account the actual pock marked land which we actually stood on. If I looked hard enough I could see the real ground beneath the illusion, but I was not going to have the luxury of being able to concentrate on the ground I was stepping on, Drababan would make certain of that. He would have the same handicap, somehow I did not think he cared.
The guards took up a perimeter defensive position around our newly formed battlefield. The game was drawing near. I took in a great draught of air, hoping upon hope that this wouldn’t be the last
time, but who was I kidding? Drababan turned and walked a short distance and picked up a shield and sword, what I had thought were just more props were in fact the weapons of choice for the event.
Where had they come from? I wondered. I didn’t see any of the guards carrying the stuff, but it wasn’t like I had been scoping them out too much. Most of the trip down I had sat with my head down, deep in thought of what was about to happen. Not knowing what else to do, I walked over to my sword and shield. Damn, they felt heavy. Maybe this was a good thing. I was tired of fighting, tired of trying to save others, tired of trying to justify all the things I had done thus far. I honestly hoped at that point there was no heaven. I did not want to have to explain myself at the Pearly Gates, if that was indeed the direction in which I was heading. The devil, though, I’m sure he had a special wing already set up for me. No, it was much better to think that once Drababan laid the killing blow I would just fade out to black.
And then I nearly dropped my shield as a voice thundered from above, “Warriors—let the games begin!”
“Fuck,” I said as I walked toward Drababan.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Is everything in place, Sergeant?” the stern-faced Colonel asked.
“Yes, sir,” the sergeant answered calmly. For what was about to happen she showed no emotion whatsoever, she was the poster child for the professional soldier. Calm, cool and collected, no matter that her heart said differently.
“Alright, Sergeant, when I give the order I want you to hit the switch, within five seconds of that switch I want all of your men outside.” He yelled even though in the confined space, a whisper would have been sufficient, that and the fact that this drill had been run a thousand times before. “Look alive folks, this time it’s for keeps and we’ll have a world wide audience. So no screw ups!”
“Oooh Raaah!” was the unabashed reply.
“Oooh Raaah!” The Colonel echoed. Now he had to hope that his intel was correct, the aliens had let it be known far and wide that the fight would take place on earth but they had not disclosed the exact whereabouts. At least 5 different spots around the planet were being monitored after increased fly bys by transport and gunships. That could mean absolutely nothing, his targets could be fighting on the top of the Himalayan mountains for all he truly knew.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Mike Journal Entry 5
Drababan shook his head ever so slightly as he saw me head toward him. No, matter how concerned he was with actually killing me, he would do it, I was sure. What was the point of running? Drababan shook off his distaste for the event and approached me warily but steadily. I stumbled a few times on the uneven terrain, Drababan, for all his bulk, may as well have been floating, he never faltered and even more disconcerting, he never once took his reptilian eyes off of me. As I closed in I saw no good reason to stall, I swung first, my blow easily deflected off of D’s shield. He countered and nearly took my head off in one fell swoop.
Well so much for hesitation on his side. I tucked and rolled by, swinging my sword and catching his shin guard. I think it momentarily stunned him that I actually made contact, he pulled his leg back. Either way he was in no position to counterstrike, good thing too, because a small mound had halted my progress much sooner than I had anticipated. Drababan recovered quickly, but so did I, and with some effort I was able to deflect his incoming blow as I did my best to regain my footing.
“You fight well, Mike, I had prayed to Gropytheon that it would be so.”
“Um, thanks? I guess?” How the hell does one answer that when you’re fighting for your very existence. He said it so matter of factly like we were shooting hoops or playing darts, not trying to survive. “You too.”
“Coming from you, Mike, that truly is a compliment.”
Are you kidding me? Could this be any more surreal? He dipped his head slightly, I lunged missing badly and catching sight of D’s blade swinging down on my sword arm. I was sent sprawling in the dirt, my arm was on fire but miraculously still attached, he had hit me with the flat part of the sword. It had been no mistake, he was toying with me.
“That will be the only quarter I will allow you, Mike.”
I stood up, not daring to touch my arm which felt as if it were broken, it was already beginning to bruise and swell. Well that answered that he wasn’t toying with me, he was honoring me, but at that point what was the difference.
“Drababan,” I answered, “If I get the same opportunity I will not yield.”
He understood what I meant and nodded. “You will not get the chance.” He wasn’t cocky just sure. I circled him slowly, flexing my arm about, I could not afford to have it stiffen up if I ever got the chance to wield it. Drababan charged—God he was fast—my mind raced, I had watched all of his fights, he had done this maneuver no fewer than ten times, six times he had dodged to the right at the last moment and lashed out with what ever weapon he had, three times he had dodged to the left and crossed his weapon across his body to yield the same deadly results. Once he had just completely bowled his opponent over skewering him like so much chicken on a spit. I had no choice, I had to play the odds, even if they were sixty/forty. If I miscalculated, this would be over quick. As Drababan’s pivot foot set and he squared to the right, I dodged to the left and tucked down, sticking my sword out hoping it would find purchase, my sword struck his breastplate sending seismic shivers through my forearm and into my spine. I nearly dropped it and then I felt something yielding. Drababan had run past my assault, my sword slipped off of his breastplate armor and found the soft spot on his side. It wasn’t a terribly deep wound, it surely wasn’t life threatening, but Drababan stopped and turned toward me. He dropped his shield and ran his hand over the glistening wound, putting his hand up. A surge of hope leapt through me as I watched blood drip off his fingers. He howled in what I can only take for rage. There was nothing in his flat eyes except murder, He headed toward me with no other intention than ending my life. My victory was seemingly short lived.
The ground leapt underfoot, Drababan in all his glory was thrown like a puppet into the air, I for the most part didn’t move as I was already in a crouch, I had put out my hands to brace myself as dirt and stone rained down all around and on me. Small arms fire erupted everywhere, I was so disoriented at first that I didn’t understand as I watched Devastator troops drop like dominoes. And then it dawned on me, this was the rescue I had hoped beyond hope would happen. I was frozen, clouds of dust made vision difficult and my sense of balance was still reeling from the shockwave, if I stood and tried to run, I would most likely look like a drunk having one too many at happy hour. And I still had no clue from which way the rescuers were coming. How was I going to get out of there anyway? The ship above us may have only been a troop transport but it sported more powerful weapons than anything dreamed of on my planet. As if in direct response to my query the transport swooped down and began to make itself known. I heard screams of agony and death as plasmas cannons shot down destruction. Guards and camouflage fitted troops fell alike, no one was immune to the strafing fire. It seemed their troops’ lives were of less value than stopping the rescue, and through it all Drababan began to rise. If he was awed by the whole scene he showed little, murderous intent still blazed hot in his eyes. I didn’t know for sure which way to run, but away from Drababan seemed like a good idea. I rose and dropped everything, heading in full sprint away from Dee and closer to what sounded like M-16s. One benefit of the transport ship coming down was the illusion of the coliseum was broken I could once again see the ground I was trying to traverse, it was of little help, I could feel Drababan’s heavy footfalls behind me, he would catch me long before I got to any sort of safety.
So fucking close! And there she was, a combat Marine, aiming an M-16 directly at me. Why the fuck is she trying to shoot me? I thought as I felt the heat of the bullets pass my left ear. I heard the grunt no more than three feet behind me as Drababan took at least three rounds in the shoulder, the shots seemed to be about as eff
ectual as a bee stings, he slowed for a heartbeat, letting me gain a few precious steps, but he would not be so careless again. He would chase me down and use me to block the soldiers’ line of site. I redoubled my efforts—thank god for the treadmill—I had been at an all out sprint for three hundred yards and I still had another three hundred to go. I was feeling the burn in my lungs, but it was amazing what self preservation can do for you. Even running I was contemplating strategy, I could see the marine desperately seeking some sort of firing angle on Drababan. Should I drop and give her a clear shot? But if she missed, he would be on top of me in a second or two at the most. I figured she had great training but how comfortable was I with putting my life in someone else’s hands. The decision was made for me as another sweeping cannon blow torched the ground all around the marine, I watched in horror as her body was flung back almost ten feet—was that a hole beyond her? A hole! There was a tunnel in the side of the crater, so that’s what the explosion was for, and also our means of escape. Whoever thought of this was fucking brilliant. And like a flash, there it was. Paul had thought of this, surprise was always a tactic he liked to employ when we had played Risk and this was the coup de grace of all surprises.
Fifty more yards. A twice wounded Drababan had made up still more ground, I could feel the earth vibrate from his stride. I wasn’t going to make it. I felt the tip of his sword on my shoulder blade. I immediately dropped and tucked, Drababan put one foot into my thankfully protected rib cage and then went sprawling, my ruse worked but now he was between me and my destination, he rose in an instant, almost faster than me, and I had known the hastily laid plan. Somewhere along his fall he had lost the sword, but that was of little concern, he could break my neck with a flick of his arm. He stood tall, blood oozing from his side and shoulder and snout but none of it mattered to him. He was the Terminator and I was his target nothing else mattered. The gun battle still raged on as more Marines poured from the mouth of the tunnel, the numbers were nearly equal, but the surprise had been gained by the Marines. More Devastator troops lay still but it was beginning to even up as the aliens superior air power began to take over. The more time I stood there with my thumb up my ass, the more people were going to die. I would make my move, live or die I was going to make my move. I charged Drababan, screaming with primal rage. I wasn’t going to go around him, I had made up my mind to go through him. I ran into a stone wall with all my might and he didn’t budge The ground beneath me disappeared, Drababan had picked me up like so much trash. So here it was, he was going to snap me in two like a toothpick. And then we were moving, fast. Drababan was running for all he was worth.