Arkapeligo- Rising

by Ma West

  A visible net of great electrical power surrounded the arena, and alarms sounded.

  The movement of the trio falling had garnered the warrior’s attention, and its forelimb speared the Xendorian guard before they could hit the ground. The baroness and Patient 00 bounced with the stabbing of the guard and then fell several feet to the ground. The warrior ripped the head off the Xendorian guard and sucked out his insides before discarding the body.

  The commodore lunged at the warrior and landed on its face as it ate his subordinate. The light on the commodore’s wrist device blinked as he brought his fist back and planted a devastating blow to the warrior’s eye. The commodore darted to avoid the acid that followed the swallowing body. Gripping hard, the commodore activated his wrist device and held on for dear life. The commodore had to concentrate hard on the voice of Commander Lymphod to hear it over the sound of gushing wind. The alien warrior had flapped its wing so as to somersault in the air several rotations at a time. It was the third rotation of the maneuver that cast the commodore off and slammed him into the arena wall. Yet the commodore did manage to hear one part of the commander’s report clearly, and it rattled him more than the physical blow: “The humans have defeated our . . .”

  The team leader had moved with purpose and captured efficiently. It took him no more than fifteen seconds to have the baroness out of the arena, but he made no attempt to capture Patient 00. Such a failure to protect an objective would not be looked well upon by the emperor. Perhaps, thought the team leader, he might now have another use for her. So he took the baroness quickly down the passageway.

  Patient 00 ran as fast as he could, yet everything around him seemed to move faster. He chased down the same passage as the baroness but soon lost track. Knowing he would never be able to track them, he decided it best to find someone who would know where they were—and he knew just the alien.

  Patient 00 returned to the arena, scanning for any sort of tool or weapon. He felt befuddled by his new reality. Finding no visible cupboards, closets racks, or holders, he ran his hands randomly against the walls, hoping to trigger or move something. His distress heightened as he neared the entrance, when he finally found something to press, and a panel behind it opened.

  Without hesitation, he reached in and pulled out the first thing he felt. It didn’t look like a gun, yet it had an easily discernible firing direction. Although, figuring out how to activate it might prove tougher. Seconds later, the sound of hurried footsteps manifested into two Xendorian crewmen, probably en route to collect the very weapon Patient 00 had just acquired.

  Twisting rapidly, Patient 00 pushed, squeezed, and even pulled as he pointed the weapon. The Xendorians skidded to a halt. The object didn’t fire, but it gave them pause. Patient 00 signaled with the weapon for the aliens to move, bluffing as well as he could. For several seconds, it worked, but with the greatest of unfortunate timing, Patient 00 inadvertently twitched and fired the weapon into the corridor ceiling. The shock and surprise on his face gave away his bluff and invited a punishing blow to his chest.

  He was knocked backward several feet, in the direction of the weapon cache. The blow knocked him off his balance, and he landed directly below the wall box. A small slit allowed him a line of sight to the weapons. The two aliens spread out in each direction and closed in. Patient 00 raised his weapon toward the slit and fired.

  The sound of electrical snaps screamed and echoed throughout the corridors. He felt a strong sting on his hip, and as he moved to crawl away, he noticed a dark scorch mark near where he had sat. Bolts of energy continued to spread wildly. A bolt struck the nearest Xendorian, but the other had taken shelter around the corner. Another bolt knocked the weapon out of Patient 00’s hands, and he mouthed a prayer while scurrying as fast as possible.

  Patient 00 rose as he reentered the arena. Before he could fully stand, he was in the clutches of the commodore. The commodore had captured his prey on the run and was making sure to stay on the warrior’s blind side. Several Xendorians were now engaged with the warrior. They used long, glowing whips to secure the alien insect’s legs while group after group attempted to mount it. There was no sign of either of the Annomites or the doctors. Patient 00 hoped they were pursuing the baroness, but it was more likely that they had taken refuge or were fleeing.

  The commodore was on a direct course for an exit when he tumbled down and dropped Patient 00 hard on the ground. The commodore attempted to keep hold, but Patient 00’s twitching had wiggled him free as they fell. The commodore then screamed out in pain as the little digger creature bit down hard on his ankle area.

  It wasn’t much, but it gave the opportunity to go on the offensive. Patient 00 snatched a nearby stone of reasonable mass. The little digger Logging yelped as the commodore kicked him away with his free leg, providing Patient 00 enough time to bring the rock down hard on the commodore. There was a cracking noise, and Patient 00 raised the stone for a second blow, but another twitch knocked him off balance, sending the stone to the ground.

  Patient 00 was unsure if he had actually caused any injury to the commodore, as he was suddenly back in his clutches and heading for a nearby exit.

  The baroness thrashed and squirmed, but despite the Xendorian’s battle wounds, he still maintained total physical control over her. “Harming you is not my intention. No, you only hold value alive, at least for now. Escaping from my clutches would only get you killed. Your mate, on the other hand, his death would be the icing on my cake and the noose for the commodore.”

  “Then what is your intention?” The baroness tried to sound unafraid, but she wasn’t sure how well she did.

  The Xendorian continued to make quick strides down the corridor. “To help myself, Baroness.” So far, they hadn’t crossed anyone else’s path, and the Xendorian team leader seemed to be doing it intentionally. At last, he came to a three-way intersection and put the baroness down, with orders not to flee or she’d be punished. Raising his bad arm as high as the injury would allow, the Xendorian accessed his wrist device and saw an image of Aragmell and Aramethel running down a similar corridor. The alien activated several functions from the wrist device, and then he reached back, grabbed his spear, activated its electrical tips, and got ready.

  The baroness’s spirits lifted as she saw her two guardians hurrying to her aid. Aramethel sprinted in fast, bent low, and then leaped into the air, but the Xendorian was ready, and its spear rose up from underneath, pinning the young guardian against the ceiling.

  It would have been an easy kill for the team leader, but instead, he let the beast fall and rotated the spear so it immediately pressed against Aramethel’s back as he lay on the floor. Rising up into a position of dominance, the alien spoke. “Now is not the time, pup.” The Xendorian released his hold of the beast and allowed Aramethel to spin over. “You are my prey, and I have captured you. My dominance over you is demonstrated. I offer you a chance to earn your release. Accept or die!”

  Aragmell took a warrior stance but made no advance, obviously contemplating the offer. “Speak your terms, Xendorian.”

  “The commodore has risen above his abilities. It’s time for someone with a more appropriate skill set to take the position. In order to rightfully challenge the commodore, he must fail to complete an objective. I offer you and the baroness a chance to escape, but it will cost you.”

  Aragmell spoke with a reserved tone. “That is a mighty reward. What could we do that would be so valuable to you?”

  “Two terms. After your escape, the agreement has expired and I will hunt you down for recapture, and if any mention of this agreement gets out, I will make your capture especially painful, and without the bombast of the commodore.”

  Aragmell kept the warrior stance. “Agreed, and second?”

  The Xendorian almost smiled. “You must kill Prisoner 00.”

  The baroness’s heart flipped as she heard the second demand, but it erupted into anger as she heard Aragmell agree to the terms. Rising from the spot whe
re she had been dropped, the baroness jumped onto the back of the Xendorian and battered the wound as fearsomely as she could.

  The alien hissed but held true to his staff while holding Aramethel in check. Rather, the Xendorian turned its head and exposed the telepathic organ, and as it reached out and touched the baroness, she relaxed and fell limply to the floor.

  Between the bouncing motion of the commodore’s grip and the induced twitching, Patient 00 was about to puke. “Put me down, put me down, gonna puke.” But in response, the commodore only squeezed harder, drawing out a big mess all over the alien’s side. Like a child excited by a bug, the commodore hurled Patient 00 across the corridor and slammed him into the bulkhead.

  “What the hell is this, you nasty little creature?” The Xendorian’s words were accompanied by a fearsome stomp that broke every bone in Patient 00’s hand. Patient 00 yowled, if only for a second. The commodore removed his foot and turned away in order to use his wrist communicator. “Team lead, report.”

  “Yes, Commodore, I have secured the primary objective and also secured the two Annomites.”

  “Very good, team leader, meet at the science bay. No more processing delays, I want to inform the emperor of a victory.”

  Chapter 17

  Science, Schmience

  The science bay hummed and buzzed and stirred with the power of electricity, in quantities felt nowhere else on the ship. Large pieces of machinery, beds, tables, and vertical cylinders were scattered about the room like a medical obstacle course. The commodore and Patient 00 arrived at the bay first. Three Xendorians worked the consoles. These Xendorians wore full uniforms, white with blue patches. While their other features were the same, their body size was noticeably smaller.

  Once the three had become aware of the commodore, they immediately turned, knelt, and gave the same physical greeting that had been performed in a routine demonstrated before as part an organized military tradition. The commodore returned the salute, and the three rose. “I come bearing gifts of extraordinary scientific importance, as seen by his majesty. Begin your investigation immediately. Upon completion, I wish to take custody of Prisoner 00 for personal oversight of his elimination.” The Xendorian unceremoniously laid his captive on the table and turned back toward one of the females.

  The commodore, having now finished in his official capacity, moved in a much more graceful manner as he approached one of the scientists. “Lady Imric, it’s nice to see you rising in the ranks. Perhaps your skills will be of use in this project.”

  Imric stepped over to Prisoner 00 and examined his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose before signaling the commodore to place him on another nearby table. A second uniformed Xendorian wheeled over a large circular device with three plates that rotated along an overhead arm and then positioned it above Prisoner 00's head. While nothing formed in the way of words, a strong sense of both disgust and disappointment was tangible from the female Xendorian as it came across from the stone.

  The team leader carried the baroness as she lay lifeless in his arms. Close behind followed two Annomite protectors restrained in neon-blue chain assembly. Between the headache and the twitching, it took a moment for Prisoner 00 to register the baroness’s condition. “What have you bast—”

  Before he could finish the sentence, the commodore put his hand firmly on top of Prisoner 00’s face and pushed down hard. Prisoner 00 felt his vision blur, along with a resounding return of his headache.

  The baroness was placed on an adjacent table and then given a much more thorough examination. The Xendorian scientists used their telepathic organs to sweep over the baroness before placing her on a mobile table and into a tube that extended deep into the bulkhead. The scientist Imric approached the commodore, moving in close. “Commodore, we all concur that she will make a full recovery without any long-term effects. I shall personally inform you when we have completed our task.”

  The two Annomites hung their heads low as they stayed shackled in the corner. The Xendorian team leader walked over to the commodore, knelt, and saluted before rising again in a well-rehearsed custom. “The emperor will be most pleased at our victory, Commodore.”

  “Hardly worthy of a complete victory. Our losses aboard the Arkapeligo will not go unnoticed by His Excellency. Perhaps if Commander Lymphod is disposed of, I shall make you my new number-two team leader.”

  “It would be a great honor, Commodore. I would not fail you.”

  “I am confident you will not. Now come, let us tend to our wounds and make ready for the moment when our prey is free from its scientific captors. We must plan a most egregious death for our Prisoner 00. He has proven entirely too disruptive to be simply eliminated.”

  The two exited the room, taking with them the overbearing presence of alpha male. The smallest of the Xendorian scientists approached Prisoner 00. “Finally, we can get some real work done. My name is Imric, and I will be conducting your survey. I see you already have a translation stone. Either that or I’m just talking to myself.”

  Prisoner 00 raised his head so as to look at his new caretaker but found only blurriness and confusion with every movement of his head.

  “My, that’s a nasty concussion you got yourself, there. Anger the commodore, did we now? Well I hope you learned not to be doing that again. Second lessons are often fatal.”

  A second scientist activated the circular machine above Prisoner 00. The base spun at a slow, steady speed while the underplates spun at a much faster rate, with extending and contracting parts. Lights flashed and lasers pulsed, throbbing and pulsating Prisoner 00’s body. Cold, slimy hands encased his head while another set held his feet. “You and the commodore seem to be on friendly terms. Has he taken you for a mate?”

  Prisoner 00’s twitching had become more pronounced yet less frequent, and now his captors were probing and diagnosing as they held him in place. He prayed that they wouldn’t find his ace in the hole, his only weapon to fight the Xendorians. Perhaps the pieces were spread out enough, but he was desperate for a distraction, anything—well anything other than what he was about to get.

  A tone came across the translation stone with clarity. “What are you saying? I’m here by my own merit, no one else’s.”

  One of the scientists stepped over to Prisoner 00, moving a machine overhead. Imric spoke to her third confederate and then looked at Prisoner 00. “This is going to hurt, immensely.”

  A pink light emitted from the machine, causing Prisoner 00 to scream and twist his body in an effort to flee the pain. “I meant no implication, Lady Imric. I was simply curious. There is my role in the chain of command to consider, after all.”

  “Well please keep personal business personal. I have no aims or desire for your position.”

  “Perhaps that is best, but I must know, if only for personal reasons.”

  There was no relief, only a transfer from the intellectual fear to physical fear. The machines scanned every inch of his body from head to toe, its lasers burning the hairs off his skin as they tenderized all exposed areas. A visual display of Prisoner 00 appeared on a view screen located on a wall.

  “I know not of the commodore’s personal affairs. If he had a long-term mate, I doubt he would share that information with me.”

  “Most distressing, most distressing indeed.” The Xendorian scientist operating the machine spoke to her confederates. “Are we sure this is the life supplier to our mystery?”

  Imric lifted Prisoner 00's hand and then attached a clip to his wrist. He again shrieked as several needles extended out from the clip and dug their way deep into his skin.

  “Yes, Lady Numphia, this subject is indeed the father to our subject. The bloodlines are too close to be anything else.”

  Looking down into Prisoner 00's eyes, Imric asked, “Are there only two variations of human, male and female?”

  Focusing on the conversation helped Prisoner 00 avoid passing out, but it didn’t encourage him to cooperate either. “Don’t forget about the buttheads.”
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  At first there was an initial flurry of excitement, but the understanding finally sunk in, and the Xendorian scientists looked rather displeased. Pushing a button on the table, Numphia sent an intensely painful burst of electricity surging through Prisoner 00's body. “We will have no more of that attitude. This is a place of learning and exploration. Save your sarcasm for the commodore.” Another cycle of the machine started, inducing a crushing pain from some unseen force.

  “The commodore is not a man to be tamed. He is a conqueror and will never be anything more. Very poor quality in a mate.” Imric sounded annoyed as her quasi boss, Lady Numphia, couldn’t seem to drop the subject.

  Numphia said, “Strong, rich, powerful, and handsome—yes, those are terrible qualities in a mate. Is that why you have rejected his advances?”

  Imric laughed at the forwardness of her compatriot. She grabbed a long, narrow rod while Numphia began removing Prisoner 00's undergarments. He spun and twitched frantically, yelled out, and prayed. Numphia grabbed his genitals, and as she moved them aside, he let out the nervous buildup of air in his lungs and exhaled a whimpering, “Please no.” The reprieve didn’t last long, as the scientist inserted the rod into its intended orifice.

  “Well that and I have a bigger prize in my sights.”

  It took several torturous and invasive tests before Prisoner 00 was spoken to again.

  “This is most distressing. We find no evidence that you possess any relation to the genetic variation at all, yet you are the father of the child in question. I don’t understand it. How can an outside genome be added? No race, even the ancient ones, has ever had that technology. Tell me how you conceived the child.”