Escape of the Glitter Princess

by Chad V. Holtkamp

  The crowd went wild, whooping and hollering as they threw gemstones and coins onstage to mark their territory. Some were better shots than others and hit Dom square in the face with tokens of palladium. He was happy it wasn’t platinum as that would have really hurt.

  Chief Rygel ordered his musicians to crank up some old time rock & roll to egg on the crowd. They’d only recently picked up this little skit from the Alien archives. But the musicians had the basics down enough that it was a passable cover of The King.

  Jock was afraid. With all these vicious creatures in one place, there was no way they could get to Dom, let alone Desire and the Princess, even with all the Glitter King’s men.

  He had to think quickly. Suddenly he had an idea. He tapped his comm link. “JAXXY, wakeup those snakes and frogs. I’ve got a job for them.”

  He motioned for his men to sneak back out of the tent. The Adjuster decided to hang back and call in the Bureau for backup as he didn’t want to lose sight of Dom. Jock didn’t think that was a wise idea, but he had bigger creatures to fry.

  As quick as they could, Jock and his team took a hovercraft back to the TX.

  “JAXXY, those reptiles ready?” he asked, running up the ramp to the cargo hold.

  “Sir, I’ve slowly warmed them to room temperature,” JAXX replied. “Based on the energy level I’m picking up in the cargo hold, they seem to be quite feisty.”

  “Great, any news from Weisman?” he asked.

  “Sir, no, but I’m scanning the local frequencies for any ships associated with the Federated Union that might be in the neighborhood,” JAXX replied.

  “Good boy!” Jock said. JAXX was not amused.

  “I hope those freaky creatures hate snakes as much as I do,” Jock said as he picked up the flooring to get to the crate with the special cargo. He hoped to create panic and chaos in the auditorium without needing to take any shots. They’d simply slip the snakes and frogs in the door and watch the craziness ensue. Ideally, the diversion would allow for them to make their rescue. Four of the bigger king’s men picked up the giant crate and carried it to the hovercraft.

  17

  Dom pranced around the stage, strutting from one rock god pose to another. The roar of the crowd and the double shot of whatever they made him drink only spurred him on more. All he could hear were whoops and hollers and grunts and growls from the creatures assembled. It didn’t matter that they were all there to bid on him as a slave. In all his vanity, he still wanted to put on a show and prove how entertaining he was.

  “If I’m going to go out as a slave, I’m giving it all I’ve got,” Dom thought. “Maybe one of these things is a hot female on their planet and will take pity on me.” He took it up a notch and started doing windmills, rolling and swiveling his hips like The King.

  “Running around a stage shaking my butt is exhausting!” he thought. He was sweating and panting for air, desperate to be back at White Night with a cold gin and tonic in his hand. But he kept the momentum going. He ran from one side of the stage to the other, checking on Desire and the princess in the process.

  The creatures clambered to raise their auction paddles the highest. Finally after 3:25, the song came to an end, but the roar of the creatures continued.

  “Now we will take the bids!” Chief Rygel yelled as loud as he could. Every creature started screaming their offers. A giant Gwart, the largest female species in the auditorium, if not the entire galaxy, forcefully shoved her way forward, parting the crowd like the Red Sea. In her giant flipper hands, she held an enormous bag of cubits, which she threw at Dom’s feet.

  Desire and the princess couldn’t bear to watch. Dom looked on in horror as the giant whale-like walking creature with six eyes grinned at him seductively. All he could see were her hundreds of teeth.

  “I present for the Human $50 million cubits!” she said proudly.

  The Adjuster, who had snuck closer to stage muttered, “Perfect. I’ll get Dom and my payment when my backup arrives.”

  Chief Rygel yelled, “Can any of my esteemed guests beat that bid?”

  The auditorium fell silent as no species dared cross a Gwart.

  “Going once… going twice… sold to the lovely Gwart for $50 million cubits.” Chief Rygel yelled. “Congratulations, I award you the Human Agent Dom Wagner, ha ha! You may pick him up at the conclusion of the auction.”

  “Wait a minute, you sold me to a wart?” Dom asked the Chief, as his guards gathered the cubits and started dragging him from the stage. “Can you at least give me another shot?”

  “One more time,” Chief Rygel yelled, “a standing ovation for our newest slave!”

  The spotlight shined brightly in his eyes, and he bowed, drunk with the adoration of the crowd. For a brief moment, he’d forgotten all about the Desire and the princess that he was about to be sold as a slave.

  Back at the hovercraft, Jock and his team rejoined Captain Vaunias and the Glitter King’s men. They set their weapons to heavy stun, prepared to once again enter the still unguarded Veibon tent. Taking a closer look, he sussed that Captain Vaunias had taken out a few more Veibon guards who had come to check the perimeter.

  “Three, two, one…go!” Jock said as they stealthily entered the tent carrying the large, heavy crate of snakes and frogs.

  Even from the entrance, Jock could hear the roar from the auditorium. Scanning the area, he saw a few Veibons step from a side room. The Glitter King’s men quickly stunned them and they dropped like flies. They searched the Veibons and pulled out their blasters. They were fancy new KR25s, so the king’s men kept the weapons as they might come in handy.

  They slowly made their way to the auditorium, keeping close watch in case any of the creatures needed to take a pit stop. The men carrying the crates could hear the rustling and hissing and croaking from within.

  “I hope these seals hold,” one said to the other, “at least until we’re ready to let them go.”

  “Agreed,” the other replied. “Earth frogs are gross but there’s nothing scarier than a snake.”

  Chief Rygel took his time with the next introduction and the crowd grew restless. “My friends, ha ha!” he yelled. “It is my privilege to introduce to you the perfect embodiment of Desire. A Centaurian mindreader with ample endowments. Please give her a warm welcome!”

  The band whipped up a cheesy stripper tune. As Captain Andana pushed Desire from behind the curtain, the crowd was stunned into silence. She toyed with the crowd, first only showing her fishnet-covered leg, kicking her left heel high into the air before peeking her head out quickly and then stepping back in. The crowd ate it up and started oohing and ahhing. The creatures knew they were in for a treat and would be tossing more than just coins her way.

  She slowly stepped into the spotlight, wearing a towel covering most of her body. The creatures could see long shapely legs set off with a pair of black high heels to match the fishnets. She shimmied her way across the stage and then slowly unwrapped the towel. But the teasing wasn’t over. She still hid behind it as an overeager Xiyte jumped on the stage. It was promptly blasted by one of the guards.

  The creatures could get as rowdy as they wanted in the audience but the stage was off limits.

  Chief Rygel kicked the Xiyte carcass into the crowd. “The stage is off limits! Any thing that tries to get close to performer again will also suffer the pain of death ha ha!”

  Desire kept performing and lived up to her name. The crowd grew to a frenzy. The simple token the Veibon had given her earlier glowed brightly as she pranced around the stage, striking one slinky and seductive pose after another.

  A frothing crowd of creatures at the foot of the stage punched and prodded each other to get a better look at her. She was a sight for sore eyes. They hadn’t seen anyone as stunningly beautiful as she was in quite some time. In addition to the sex appeal, she oozed danger, the sly smile barely hiding the fact that she could whip just about any creature in the crowd with just a look.

  That only drew them
more into her, broadening her appeal. She was ready to take it to the next level when a fangy creature that looked remarkably like a dashing Nosferatu came to the foot of the stage. The creature threw down a meter wide brick of gold. He’d staked his claim on Desire as his property.

  That set off a bidding war. Other slavers stepped forward to offer their own tributes. The stage was soon littered with precious gems of sapphire, rubies, even diamonds but the brick of gold remained the highest bid. That was until the fattest, meanest, scariest looking Laswon stepped toward the stage. He was something special; the creatures immediately parted ways to let him through. He was about to offer up the biggest stone Desire had ever seen until Chief Rygel spoke up.

  “My esteemed guests!” he said, aiming to calm the crowd from its fever pitch. “I understand and appreciate your enthusiasm for this fine creature from beyond the stars. She’s quite stunning and well worth your tributes. But before you get too carried away with bidding, remember we have one more performer, the Princess Amaratis, ha ha!”

  The Funta spoke up. “I hold firm on my bid. This desirable creature will be mine for all eternity,” he grinned through his fangs.

  “Ha ha!” he yelled over the crowd. “It is only fair that I consider your offer as final. Going once… going twice… sold to the Funta with the huge brick of gold. Congratulations, I award you the Centaurian Desire. You may claim her after the show.”

  Desire cringed, but at least the Funta almost looked human, though he could use some serious time in the sun of Akumal. Still in the fog of the drink, she curtsied to the crowd and the guards came to escort her from the stage.

  When she returned to stage right, Dom was fraught. He couldn’t believe the only woman he ever wanted and couldn’t have had been sold to what appeared to be a vampire. Dom looked her up and down to sear her into his memory, and she gave him a playful slap.

  “Don’t forget that I can still read your thoughts, Agent Wagner,” she said.

  Dom nursed his metal jaw though he assumed she let him off easy.

  “Don’t worry. I can handle him,” she said bravely, though deep down she was secretly terrified.

  Minutes later, Chief Rygel brought the attention of his guests back to the stage. “And here she is,” he yelled, “all the way from Planet Aesneia, the Glitter Princess Amaratis. Look at how young and beautiful she is, her radiant skin positively glows.”

  The curtains parted, and the creatures grew still, mouths still agape from Desire’s act. The princess stepped forward, her gleaming white tunic blinding the crowd with its purity, enhancing every curve of her figure. If they thought Desire was exquisite, they were stunned by the princess’s pure regal beauty.

  Amaratis was the first princess and in fact the first royalty they’d ever had a chance to bid upon. All she had to do was stand there and radiate royalty, and the crowd drew a breathless silence.

  It was as if they first encountered fire or magic. They couldn’t trust their eyes. She was stunning in her simplicity. Just by being herself was enough to captivate them under her spell.

  At first, they weren’t sure how to react. They knew the royal being in front of them was too rich for most of their pockets. The fat Laswon with the giant diamond started chuckling, smiling to himself, licking his bloated purple lips. “She would do well in my stable of slaves,” he thought, “a literal crowning jewel atop my expansive empire.”

  The Funta who’d plunked down the gold brick for Desire suddenly reconsidered. Though the way the Laswon grinned perversely at the princess, made it was clear his sanity was gone. He’d pay any price to have her.

  The crowd grew silent as the two men eyed each other, glaring back and forth and up at the princess. Suddenly, a scream rang out from the back of the auditorium, then one, then another, and another. Chief Rygel and the slavers looked around, trying to figure out what was causing the commotion. The rest of the audience joined in a cascading chorus of shrieks and yells, creatures running everywhere to escape whatever provoked the ruckus.

  Jock and his men had delivered the payload.

  Soon the black Egyptian Asps and African tree frogs slithered and hopped through the aisles making their way to the floor in front of the stage, ready to strike and unleash their venom.

  Creatures fell quickly, struck down and suffocated as the poison raced through their veins. The Jaflosies’ bulbous eyes bulged and popped, the Wapsipaehiris’ skin withered to a fine gray shade of dust, and the Ablaunides attempted a final ablution that came too late.

  The others closest to the doors started a stampede for the exits in a rush to save themselves from their own agonizing deaths. The poor Nuwhandans, there more to enjoy the spectacle and creature watch than actually bid on any slaves, never knew what hit them as they were caught up in a crush of inhumanity.

  As the snakes and frogs claimed more victims, the creatures in front of the stage took stock of the situation. The Funta and the Laswon considered their options. Leaving the truly desirable slaves behind was a difficult decision but they valued their lives more than chattel.

  Jock and the king’s men rushed in with their blasters on stun making their way through the panicked crowd toward the stage.

  Chief Rygel and his men grabbed Dom, Desire, and the princess, quickly rushing them backstage to a secret tunnel beneath the green room. A few creatures tried to sweep up the sapphires, rubies, and diamonds that remained unclaimed on the stage, not wanting to miss out on such a hefty payday. These beings, more concerned with making a quick cubit in the chaos, paid the ultimate price for their greed. The Olyarian got a stun shot to the back of the head from a Veibon guard just as a snake nipped his nethers. Reaching for the gold brick, the Beblier froze in time as a frog lapped his hand with a poison-encrusted tongue.

  Jock ran down the aisle and up onto the stage, dodging shots fired from the Veibon guards as he made his way through the fray. He needed to get to his team and the princess.

  Chaos reigned throughout the auditorium. The slavers were having a grand old time one minute, then the next they were being run out by gobs of snakes and frogs hissing and hopping and lapping and biting at their heels. The poisonous venom took care of most of them. Luckily, in their black tactical gear and desert boots, Jock and the king’s men withstood snakebites and frog slobber. They didn’t feel a thing.

  Jock wasn’t sure what Weisman and this scientist on Polarus wanted with these snakes and frogs, but he sure was happy to have them along. They were doing a bang up job killing off creature after creature, slowly decimating the slave trade. They attacked without prejudice; these slavers were like catnip to them.

  As the king’s men fought their way through the auction creatures, the Adjuster was caught up in the stampede for the exits, unable to withstand the myriad of species carrying him along in their mass exodus for survival.

  Jock and his men raced back to the Green Room. He heard the door on the far side slam shut just as they came through. He sent a quick message to Captain Vaunias to have the rest of his men surround the tent and to capture any escaping creatures.

  Back in the Green Room, Jock tried to figure out the best way to isolate Dom, Desire, and the princess. He paused briefly to get his bearings and tapped his comm link to call JAXX.

  “JAXXY, can you pinpoint where we are?” Jock asked. Then something dawned on him - Dom’s retinal implant. Once government property, always government property.

  “JAXXY, hone in on Dom’s retinal signal and see if you can locate him and the others,” he said. “We can’t let the Chief escape with them, or all hell is going to break loose with the Glitter King.”

  While JAXX was busy getting a read on Dom’s exact location within the complex, he was also still trying to reach JACOB and Commander Weisman back on the Constellation. He desperately needed to get them an update.

  Just as JAXX located Dom’s retinal signal, JAXX’s other connection chirped up with a message from JACOB. “Finally,” he thought, “I can let JACOB know that Jock and Dom
and Desire are in danger and need reinforcements.”

  JAXX also wasn’t sure if the earlier hailing signal he’d sent out had reached any Federated Union ships in their vicinity.

  Chief Rygel ran through the corridors with Desire and the princess. His trusted guard, Urali, followed with Dom. Captain Andana brought up the rear ensuring no creature or anyone else got the slaves. They pushed on in a quest to make an escape on one of the many slave ships outside.

  Jock, knowing that JAXX could locate Dom, whether in a tunnel or outside, hung back with his men. He let Chief Rygel make his move. He would intercept them on the other side.

  After minutes of pushing through the dank hidden tunnel, Chief Rygel shoved open the rusted black iron escape hatch beneath the landing zone and crawled to the surface. As the captives struggled up the stairs to the Veibon surface, nearly two-dozen ships awaited them in the sand outside the compound.

  As soon as Chief Rygel and his guard cleared the compound, the Alien cloaking technology ceased to work. They immediately transformed back into their true dirty desert warrior selves.

  Much to her disgust, Chief Rygel pulled the hood of the princess’s white tunic over her head so he wouldn’t have to hear her cry. He was so sick of her crying.

  The darkness was a sharp contrast to the bright lights of the stage and the tunnel. Dom and Desire could barely see anything, and the cool night air of the desert gave Desire goosebumps in her skimpy outfit. She didn't remember it being this cool when they arrived, but the temperature dropped quickly after sunset.

  A gaggle of creatures had made it out of the auditorium alive and were racing to get back to their ships as well.

  Desire couldn’t keep up with all the frantic thoughts she heard crying out. Captain Andana and the guard dragged them along as the chaos of creatures colliding continued.