by Paris Singer
“I agree,” said Iris. “Assuming we’re all successful, we’ll meet back in the engine room, agreed?”
We all did.
“Good. Now, if everyone is ready, let’s go.”
CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE
The doors hissed open. We walked up the wide ramp ahead and followed it left and up again. As before, sections of the black rocky walls were aglow with the light of small encrusted orbs. The only sound was that of our footsteps on the metallic surface underfoot. A few small insect-like creatures drifted in various directions. Their glowing red and white posteriors also provided illumination. Soon we reached the top and stood in front of another large set of doors.
“This is it,” said Alana. “The upper deck area is beyond these doors.”
“Okay, let’s get this thing done,” said Iris. “Both of you, be careful. We still have a lot to talk about.”
Alana smiled. “We will. Same goes for you.”
Iris nodded and grinned.
The doors opened as we stepped forward, and onto the upper deck. An area so massive it could have housed a hundred attack ships, spread out before us. In the center there stood an imposing square tower, draped in red and yellow hanging moss, that stretched upward into veiling darkness. Wide walkways connected the myriad of doors it had on every level to narrower jutting towers carved from the black rock in each corner. Between these, four other circular towers stood away from the walls. They resembled colossal columns from which three walkways stretched: one to the main tower, one to the narrower tower to their left, and one to their right. Tall silver statues of Perusak stood in every corner and around each column. Some appeared to be under construction, with the upper body or head hidden behind black screens. All around, the same pulsating mossy blobs covered entire sections of walls, all emitting their white mist that drifted like the web of an enormous spider caught in a breeze. Amid the blobs were the same insect-like creatures whose glowing red and white backsides reflected off the mist. There was an ominous, unnerving silence.
“Eerie,” said Iris.
“I can’t see any Morex,” I whispered, squinting as I looked up at the many walkways above.
Tagasi growled.
“What’s wrong?” asked Iris, with a grave expression.
Tagasi furrowed his brow and looked all around. “They are here.”
Suddenly, the glowing red and white lights from the insect-like creatures turned completely red, and all narrowed into laser-like beams down on us forming a spotlight on the floor where we stood.
“What’s happening?” said Iris.
“They know we’re here,” I said.
From behind statues, columns, and emerging from darkened doorways onto walkways there appeared Morex after Morex, their yellow eyes glinting though the shadowy mist to the sound of low growls.
“Scrap, you disabled the security systems, right?” asked Iris.
“Affirmative, Commander.”
“This should not be happening,” said Alana, looking flustered.
“Well, they knew somehow,” said Iris, pulling out her handguns from their holsters, “and now we have to deal with them. Alana: you and Seven get to where you need to go. We’ll cover you.”
Alana looked around at the many Morex soldiers that had gathered around us. “There are too many. I don’t see how we’ll get through.”
Iris grinned. “You leave that to us. Okay, guys, this is just another day. Ready to show ‘em how we do things?”
The marauders readied their weapons. As if reacting to this, the Morex soldiers shifted around where they stood. Jagged whips of crackling blue electricity emanated from weapons I couldn’t quite see. From a walkway a soldier let off a piercing growl that spread from Morex to Morex till their booming cry thundered all around.
Alana leaned in and spoke into my ear. “Seven. However we look at it, we’ll have to fight our way through if we’re to find One. Are you ready?”
I closed my hands into fists as heat rose from within my chest. One thing I was always ready for was combat. “I am.” Just as those words escaped my lips the Morex ahead charged toward us, crackling blue electricity dancing around each of them from what appeared to be fist-sized black cylindrical tubes.
“Many,” cried Iris.
Dagger in hand, Many leapt over us all toward the rushing horde of Morex. Just as he reached the top of his jump, three, ten, fifteen, twenty clones materialized from him in quick succession, till they appeared as a devastating wave of arms and blades ready to crash down on the Morex below. The soldiers struck with their electric whips, slicing through some clones, which fell limp to the ground before vanishing. But no matter how many were felled, Many struck back with more, each swinging and stabbing with their blades. With most of the Morex attention being on Many and his clones, Tagasi charged at great speed toward a group of soldiers who stood by the left tower, sending them all flying backward as if they were as light as cardboard.
“Go. Now,” cried Iris turning to Alana and me, as she shot down one Morex after another from up on the walkways.
A group of three soldiers that had flanked us sent their whips of electricity whizzing at us. Without hesitation, Scrap threw his rod toward the oncoming projectiles. Once past us, it spun rapidly on the spot like a propeller emitting a low hum. The whips of electricity dissipated into nothingness as they reached it. Just as the rod stopped spinning and flew back into Scrap’s hand, Alana dashed toward the stupefied Morex and took them out with her light-chain and ball, knocking them down before they’d reacted to her attacks.
“Thanks,” I said, turning to Scrap.
“You are very welcome,” he replied.
I looked ahead. Most of the Morex were occupied fighting off Many’s small army of clones, while Tagasi’s monstrous strength and Iris’ sharpshooting made short work of those that found themselves on the periphery. “Now’s our chance,” I said. I dashed forward and dove though a gap created by Tagasi smashing a soldier’s body down onto the floor. From the corner of my eye I spotted Alana somersaulting over him, and landing next to me.
“Eyes up,” she cried.
To my right a large Morex was running at me. With no time to think I took two steps toward him at a crouch and sprung up, sending the ball attached to my light-chain hurtling up into the Morex’s jaw, knocking him back onto the floor, where he lay motionless.
“Not bad,” said Alana, as we continued running toward an entrance at the base of the main tower. “What are you doing?” she cried, kneeing another oncoming Morex in the face.
“This’ll be faster,” I said, making my way to one of the tall statues on either side of the entrance. Jumping as high as I could, I landed a foot on one of the statue’s knee-caps, then up onto an arm, then head, and flung myself up to the far left with outstretched arms, grabbing the side of the first floor walkway. Almost as soon as I pulled myself up a Morex leaned over with a menacing look on his face, one hand above his head, ready to strike me down with his blue crackling electric whip. Just as he was about to strike, a light-chain wrapped twice around his thick neck, smashing the steel ball into his face. As Alana pulled the light-chain back, the unconscious Morex spun around, and fell limply over the side of the walkway.
“You’re not great at the listening and following instructions thing,” she said, reaching out with her hand.
“We got up here faster, didn’t we?” I asked stepping onto the walkway, wondering how she had reached it before I had.
Alana shook her head. “Come on.”
We ran across the walkway and into a tower on the other side.
CHAPTER SIXTY SIX
Machinery with multi-colored dials lit the otherwise bare, rocky walls. We ran to the other end of the high-ceilinged room where a circular entrance around twice my height led into a long, glass and black metal tunnel. The main section of the ship spread all around us, dwarfing the one we had just left. The tunnel looked to be at least one hundred meters from the misty floor below, and bisected l
eft and right at the end. Towers of varying heights, some of which stood atop wide golden cylindrical poles, were all around as far as the eye could see, like some gigantic city. Yellow or white lights illuminated tall windows though I couldn’t make out what lay beyond as we ran past them.
“We need to reach the fifth level. That is where we may find One,” said Alana. “The patrol routes I mapped out are probably useless given what we encountered, so we need to keep our guard up. There could be guards anywhere.”
“We’ll take down any we find, too,” I said with confidence.
“You know by now never to underestimate any opponent, Seven. You never know what they may be capable of, or of the training they may have received.”
She was right. I knew what I’d said had been a little arrogant, but I hadn’t meant it that way. I’d just wanted her to agree with me; to tell me we could take anyone on and win. “I know, I know,” I replied.
We turned left, and continued on deeper through the city of towers, running along tunnels that branched off in different directions. The closer we got to the center, the steeper the tunnels became, and the more stairs there were to climb. We reached a square tower supported by the highest pole I had seen. Wide stairs led up to a robust set of metallic double doors. There was no one in sight.
“This is the detention area,” said Alana. “If One has been detained, this is where they would have taken him.”
I felt a sudden flutter in my stomach mixed with a sense of excitement. Had I finally found my brother?
“Remember, we need to be vigilant of any guards there may be inside,” said Alana.
“Why do the Morex have prisoners?” I asked. “Don’t they just invade, take what they want, and move on? Why would they need prisoners?”
Alana frowned, seemingly uncomfortable by my question. “They take those they deem potentially useful to them. They are detained until they agree to serve.”
“What happens if they don’t agree?” Alana turned away to face the door. I realized then how stupid I had just been. She, too, had been captured by the Morex, before they destroyed her planet. They would have taken her to the detention area when she’d first arrived. “I’m... sorry,” I mumbled.
“We’re wasting time,” she said. “Stay alert. There may be more inside than I expect.”
“Okay,” I replied, feeling guilt-ridden. We walked up the steps and stood with our backs against the wall. We held our right gauntlet up across our chests, ready for any combat that may ensue upon entering. Alana nodded to show she was about to press the small white dial next to her. As she did so, the doors opened with a grinding whir. There was no sound beyond. I peered my head round. No guards in sight. The detention area was different from the rest of the ship. Four wide steps led down to the dirty, gray steel floor. Small rectangular jail cells lined the left and right off-green walls. In the center of the low-ceiling room, a large square pillar stood, blocking my view of what lay at the back of the detention area. The low lighting from the two rectangular recessed lights on either side of the room made it difficult to see inside the cells, plunging them in thick shadow. Whispers rose from inside as glinting, watchful eyes peered at us from within their veil of darkness.
“Stay alert. There may still be guards on the far side of the room,” whispered Alana, nodding to the central block.
I nodded in agreement. “Which one will he be in?” I asked, referring to my brother.
“It is hard to say. We’ll have to look inside them all. Keep your distance. Some of these prisoners may be dangerous.”
We walked down the steps. Alana signaled for me to take the left side, and she started on the right. I stood with my back to the central pillar and peered round the corner—no Morex guards. The corridor made me uneasy, as the whispers, interspersed with low moans and mumbles seemed to grow in volume and intensity.
“One,” I whispered. “One.” I heard no reply. I approached the first cell, squinting to adjust my eyesight to the darkness inside the long, narrow space. “One. You in there?” A short, bulky shape shifted erratically on the spot. “One,” I repeated, leaning in closer to the three metal bars that made up the cell door. Without making a sound, the prisoner inside shuffled toward me at great speed, only giving me enough time to back up far enough to escape the terrifying grasp of a muscular, yellow hand, whose flesh was replete in boils of various sizes that continually burst, releasing viscous orange liquid, only to grow a new boil in its place. The prisoner’s face had no recognizable features, but itself was covered in bursting boils, too. The prisoner retracted their hand, and grumbled something that sounded like, “Pardon this. You enemy thought.”
“No problem,” I breathed, trying to catch my breath, grateful I’d avoided the prisoner’s grasp. I walked over to the next cell, this time keeping my distance, and called out my brother’s name. I repeated this with every of the eight cells, but did not find One. Rounding the corner, I noticed there were no other cells along the back wall. I walked toward the right side of the room where I hoped Alana had found him. To my surprise, I saw there was a cell on the central pillar facing the back wall of the room.
“Seven…” came a low groaning moan from within. I approached it tentatively. “Help me, Seven…” My eyes lit up when I recognized the voice as my brother’s.
“One.” I rushed forward and stood in front of the dank square cell. It was dark inside, with little light penetrating its windowless walls. I craned my neck forward and made out the inky silhouette of One standing motionless with his hands by his sides. “One?” I said.
“Help me, Seven. Please, help me,” came the voice again, with a louder, more confident tone.
“Hold on,” I said. “I’ll get you out.”
“No, don’t touch it.” I turned to see Alana dash toward me with her hand outstretched as my own reached out to grab a bar on the cell door. All at once she grabbed my extended forearm just as my fingers touched the cold metal, and as if sucked in by a powerful vacuum, I felt my entire body rush forward while the whole room seemed to speed up toward me. There was a blinding flash of white light, and I found myself inside the cell where One had been, with Alana beside me, her hand still grasping my forearm.
CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN
“What happened?” I said, looking around.
“We’ve willingly walked into a trap, that’s what has happened,” snapped Alana.
“Well, what do you mean? Where’s One? What’s going on?”
“Seven, I wish you had listened. Your brother, One… If he was with Perusak—on his ship—it is because he is not a prisoner. Don’t you see?”
“This again? I told you before. That’s stupid.”
“No, Seven. The only one being stupid—blind—is you. Can’t you understand what’s happening here? He’s helping them.”
“I already told you, there’s no way. One’s a lot smarter than that. I’ve known him most my life—I should know.”
“So should I. I have known you both since before your births.”
“No, you just can’t see it. It’s far more likely that they’ve used him, or his likeness, to lure us here. Like a projection, or something. Why, I have no idea. If you’re so sure One’s with the Morex, you shouldn’t have bothered helping me get here, then. Promise to my mother or not.”
Alana sighed. “We’ll find out soon enough. Nothing to do now but wait.”
“I guess we will,” I scoffed, folding my arms.
Bright blue light around the base of the cell suddenly shone as the entire floor lifted. Above, the damp ceiling slid away to one side revealing another room beyond.
“Seven, look,” said Alana with a tone of urgency, “whatever is about to happen, do not let your guard down for even a moment. You may be right about your brother, but please, be prepared for anything. We may be about to fight for our lives.”
I watched Alana for a moment. I had a strange sensation she was keeping something from me, as if she could tell what was about to happen. Desp
ite this, her advice was sound. As far as I knew, the entire Morex army awaited above, their fingers itching on their triggers, so to speak. I half-crouched in combat position, my hand over the button on my gauntlet, and waited for our fate to unfold.
CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT
The platform rose toward the back of a grand, opulent room. The smooth, glinting floor appeared to be a single enormous sapphire below which deep, icy blue caverns seemed frozen in time. It was all illuminated by the light from beyond the high-domed glass window that covered the back half of the room. Ahead, a single, wide catwalk stretched over a central pool of glimmering violet liquid. On either side of the long walkway, tall golden statues of Perusak stood all along its length, each of which had deep red hanging moss pouring down from over the head, arms and waist. The catwalk molded seamlessly into a platform on the other side, which itself continued round the edges of the pool, along which yellow vines crawled up wide black marble columns. Multiple steps on the platform led up to a narrower surface. In its center stood a tall, wide ornate throne decorated with gold, black steel, and sapphire gems. Above it loosely tied blue, gold and violet ceiling drapes hung at different heights and angles, shrouding the throne in partial shadow.
“To think I doubted how easy you would be brought before me.” Perusak’s voice resounded around the room. Alana and I braced ourselves as we looked all around for the source of the voice. From somewhere behind the throne he walked into view holding a golden staff, whose ornate grip appeared to be in the shape of a Simian skull, and his other hand behind his back. His head tilted down, Perusak gazed at us as he ambled to the throne and sat down. His gaze drifted over to Alana. “Vile wretch,” he began, screwing his face with clear disdain. “Traitor. You will suffer great pains. You will pay for your betrayal.”
