by M. R. Forbes
It wouldn’t be the first time someone in command had done that to him.
Still, it seemed like an odd plan. How would making him a better fighter help the Relyeh? He wasn’t going to join them willingly. That was out of the question. Were they setting themselves up to produce an even stronger adversary?
That didn’t fit, either. And as long as the inhibitor was in his neck, they could make him as strong as they wanted, and he would never be a threat to them. As long as forcing him to take an Advocate was an option, he could become a perfect weapon.
Caleb wasn’t about to give up or give in. What he had learned from Lia had given him the foundation of a plan. It was a longshot. Risky as hell.
And it started with figuring out the Kuu.
He understood so little about it, but he knew it was a competition. He knew it was one-on-one and that he would have to survive against Corporal Novai. He assumed it might be hand-to-hand combat and that the Kuu might be a specific type of arena—a steel cage or an octagon. Maybe one with obstacles and traps or other secondary threats that would test the combatant’s ability to multitask. But that didn’t seem hard to describe or explain, which meant even Lia was intentionally obtuse or that his assumption was totally off the mark.
He didn’t think Lia was intentionally deceiving him. She had responded strongly to his overtures of freedom, and her connection with Tsi gave him an angle he hadn’t been expecting, but he could hopefully help keep her on his side. She wasn’t brainwashed into believing Arluthu was a god. Not like Harai or Ae. She wanted proof that he could help save her. That was fair enough. He had to provide it to show himself he could get out of this mess.
All he had to do was figure out the Kuu.
Lia had spent three hours with him after their initial discussion. They talked for an hour about life in the Citadel and life on Earth, and then he had excused himself, flopped onto the bed and went to sleep. He thought he should have been rested after spending time in the sanctorium, but Lia explained how the process of basically forcing the Inahri language into his head would wear him out while it all integrated. Arluthu had known it too, which was why the challenge had been delayed a short time.
She was gone when he awoke. He wasn’t concerned she would tell Harai what they had talked about. It was likely to get her in more trouble than him because Harai already knew he wasn’t on their side. It wasn’t like he was pretending to have had a change of heart. They just didn’t seem to care where his loyalties were. At least not right now.
Caleb relieved himself, showered and got dressed in a purple tunic and pants. Then he explored his cell a little more. He found a projector, excited when he realized he could read the symbols. It didn’t last. The projector only gave him access to his standing orders and he didn’t have any.
His mind turned to Washington more than once. His fellow Vulture and friend was here in the Citadel with him, undergoing treatment that would not only restore his voice but also heal his face, removing the scars and disfigurement. Most people might be glad to have their looks back, but Caleb knew Washington wasn’t one of them. The scars were a symbol of his fight against his inner demons as much as they were badges of honor in his war against the trife. They were part of his identity. He wouldn’t take their loss well.
Harai had told him Washington was unclaimed. He didn’t belong to any of the companies in Arluthu’s Might. He was like an undrafted football player, available to all, but having to try out to draw some interest. Had he entered the Kuu yet? Had he survived? Caleb was hoping that if he were able to take control of Dojo Shing he would have a crack at claiming the Marine. He wasn’t sure Harai would even allow that.
First, he had to survive his own challenge in the Kuu.
He spent two hours exercising, using whatever he had available to get in a workout that left him sweaty and alert, after which he showered a second time. Then he spent the last two hours in meditation. It wasn’t something he did often. It wasn’t something he enjoyed. But if his underlying assumption that the Kuu was physical combat was wrong, then his next best guess was that there was a mental component to it, and he wanted his head in the right place. Harai had told him he was going to die without focus. He was willing to do anything to make sure that didn’t happen.
Caleb expected Harai would be the one to come for him. He was wrong. He didn’t hear Oni enter the cell. He was in a decent state of relaxation, his mind focused inward, his body still.
“Sergeant Caleb,” she said. Her voice registered with him, but she had to repeat his name three more times before he opened his eyes.
“Oni,” he said. “Is it time?”
She nodded. “It is time.”
Chapter 27
“Do I need to change my clothes?” Caleb asked, rising from the bed.
“No. Everything you need will be provided.”
“Can you tell me anything about the Kuu?”
“It is not my place.”
“Right.”
Caleb let her lead him to the main living area of the cell. She surprised him by stopping at the doorway to the bedroom and turning around.
“Sergeant, Lia came to me last night, after I left Corporal Novai’s cell.” She spoke softly, her voice barely carrying to his ears. “She told me about Tsi.”
“What else did she tell you?” he asked.
“Nothing you need to be concerned about. The Inahri soldiers think we’re only good for one thing. When I was younger I believed it too. But my days are running out, and I’m inclined to believe you when you say there is no paradise waiting for me. You met Arluthu face-to-face. You know him better than any of us.”
“I want to help you if I can,” Caleb said.
“And I want to help you. I can’t tell you about the Kuu. Honestly, nobody who hasn’t entered it can offer anything, and even those who have can’t describe it. But I can tell you something about Corporal Novai. He’s very self-conscious and prefers the lights off in bed. I don’t know if that’s something you can use, but it’s all I have to offer.”
Caleb smiled. He had hoped to gain Lia’s trust and aid. Adding Oni to his side was a bonus. “Thank you.”
She bowed her head before leading him on again.
They headed to the antechamber. Lieutenant Harai and Corporal Novai were already there with the rest of Dojo Shing. Caleb bowed to Harai, ignoring the Corporal’s glare. The Inahri was doing his best to look intimidating. It wasn’t working.
“Sergeant Caleb. Are you prepared for the Kuu?” Harai asked.
“As ready as I can be,” Caleb replied.
“You have the opportunity to submit without entering,” Corporal Novai said. “If you prefer to maintain your second position under me until you are challenged again.”
“Let me think about that,” Caleb said. “No. I’m good. How about you?”
Novai smirked. “I’ll enjoy hearing you scream.”
Caleb didn’t respond. Harai walked over to the door leading out into the corridor.
“Remember,” the Lieutenant said. “Dojo Shing is a team. To be a team requires trust, sacrifice and honor. Regardless of the outcome, the Shing is only as strong as its weakest link, and the Might only as powerful as its least powerful Shing. Follow me.”
The entire squad moved single-file out into the corridor with Harai in front, Novai behind him and Caleb third. He glanced back at Oni as they left, and she gave him a curt nod of support.
They made their way toward the center of the Citadel, through passages Caleb hadn’t seen yet. There were more apartments there, home to more of Arluthu’s soldiers. They moved out of Harai’s path, bowing their heads for all of Dojo Shing in a show of respect for the challenge.
The marked apartments ended after a while, replaced with ordinary corridors containing numerous black doors. There were soldiers here too, but they wore simple white robes, many of them stained, and there was no sign of any women to support them.
“The unclaimed,” Kilai whispered behind him. �
�You might end up here soon.”
Caleb made sure to get a look down every corridor and through every open door they passed, searching for Washington. There was no sign of him.
Finally, they reached a larger arched doorway. It opened ahead of Harai, exposing a large room at the center of the Citadel, split by a massive, twisting column that ran through the middle of the structure. Nearly ten meters thick it flickered and flashed with pulses of energy that carried power to hundreds of crystalline branches spreading away from it and out into the walls. There were soldiers paired off around each of the branches, facing one another. A colored haze floated between them, contained by the electrical fields generated by the branches and column.
The soldiers were all naked, and in every case they had been pierced in the chest by the tip of a branch, their blood running down their bare chests and onto the floor.
“The Kuu,” Kilai said reverently.
Caleb stared at the closest pair of soldiers. Their expressions were in a constant state of change, neither of them pleasant or relaxed. They were sweaty and tired, their bodies practically hanging from the branches that speared them. The haze seemed to swirl and shift from one side to the other in organized chaos.
A squad of soldiers stood behind this pair, watching the proceedings. One of them glanced up, bowing when he saw Harai. “Lieutenant,” he said.
“Sergeant Kai,” Harai said. “How is the challenge?”
“Corporal Nix will be victorious. I’m sure of it.”
Harai nodded, leading Dojo Shing further into the room. “We are honored to have the central position for the challenge,” he said. “Lord Arluthu will be watching.”
A couple of the soldiers gasped, surprised to have such a substantial audience. Caleb was too busy trying to discern the nature of the challenge from what he could see. Definitely not physical combat. It looked more like a battle of wills.
He could do that.
Of course, he wasn’t thrilled with the idea of being impaled by a pointy stick. Somebody could have at least mentioned that part of the deal.
The central position was more elaborate than any of the others, with an open area around it for more bystanders to observe the proceedings. There were already dozens of soldiers waiting, eager to see the main event. They stomped their feet when Dojo Shing approached, anxious for the challenge to start.
“This is the first time a non-Inahri has ever entered the Kuu,” Harai said, turning to Caleb. “You should be honored.”
“Believe me, I am,” Caleb replied.
Harai laughed. “Take off your clothes.”
Caleb did as Harai ordered. Corporal Novai was already removing his, though he seemed less than comfortable doing it.
“Have you been able to father any children with that thing, Novai?” Caleb asked, pointedly staring.
Novai’s face reddened, clearly embarrassed by the comment. Caleb hoped making the corporal angry would be a benefit when the challenge started. Oni had led him to believe it would.
The other Inahri soldiers laughed at the comment, adding to the effect. Caleb could tell Novai was trying to come up with a counter-insult, but the same comment wouldn’t work, and the Inahri obviously didn’t have the same trash-talking experience as an Earther.
“Kilai, prepare Novai,” Harai said. “I will prepare Caleb.”
Harai took Caleb’s arm, leading him into the midst of the branches. There was more distance between him and Novai in the central position, and the haze he had seen in the other areas had yet to form.
“What is this?” Caleb asked, motioning to the center column.
“This is the Citadel’s power source. A type of reactor. It isn’t close to the output of the Axon QDM, but it’s enough.”
“How does it work?”
“It is ancient and primitive compared to the modulator, but it has served them for thousands of ens.” He brought Caleb to the end of one of the branches. “We Inahri call it the Dabboth. We offer ourselves to it through the Kuu. Only the Relyeh know exactly how it works, but the energy expended in the Kuu is part of the reaction process.”
“You mean the Kuu powers the Citadel?”
“In part, yes.”
“So if there were no more challenges, the Citadel would go dark?”
“In time.”
It was useful information to have, even if Caleb had no idea how he would use it.
“Back into the branch,” Harai said. “The tip will stun your nervous system at the entry point. You won’t feel it enter you.”
Caleb refused to show weakness by hesitating. He stepped back into the end of the sharp branch. He felt a slight poke and then the heat of the spear impaling him. Harai was right. It didn’t hurt at all.
He glanced at Harai, and then across at Novai. His pulse was starting to increase, and he had a feeling that wasn’t a good thing. He focused on his breathing, trying to stay calm. Just because he didn’t know what to expect didn’t mean he couldn’t handle it. Not after everything he had already been through.
“How will I know when it starts?” he asked.
“You’ll know,” Harai replied. Then he backed out of the area, ducking beneath some of the branches to get clear, leaving Caleb and Novai alone in the challenge area.
The heat at Caleb’s back began to increase. He was surprised when the pain started to increase with it. He clenched his teeth to keep himself from making any sound. A mist began to rise from the floor, and then the branches of the Dabboth around them began to light up in an array of colors and an ever-changing pattern.
Caleb started to feel light-headed. He heard foot stomping all around him, and the vague murmurs of the assembled Inahri soldiers. Color danced in front of his eyes, his consciousness fading. If he blacked out, did that mean he would lose?
He wasn’t willing to take that chance. He focused on staying alert, despite the increasing pain and lightheadedness.
The voices faded out of his hearing, followed by the soldiers in his peripheral vision and by the lights flickering around him. He didn’t lose consciousness. Instead, it was as though his awareness was carried to another place far removed from the one where his physical body was attached.
He still didn’t know what the challenge was, but he was sure it had begun.
Chapter 28
Corporal Novai was gone.
Caleb took a moment to get his bearings. There was no light, but he could see dim shapes surrounding him, silhouetted against one another. He looked up, searching for a ceiling or sky, but everything was black.
First impression: the Kuu seemed like a whole lot of nothing. Literally.
The pain from the branch was gone. The lightheadedness was gone. Was this whole thing a hallucination caused by the mist that had risen from the ground. Or was it something else?
Sergeant Card. Choose your arena.
The statement entered his head the way Ishek’s thoughts had come into him, not really through words, but through a general understanding within. Only it wasn’t Ishek communicating with him this time.
It was Arluthu.
“Choose my arena?” Caleb replied. “Anywhere I want?”
Anywhere.
“Why me? Why not Novai?”
It is my decision to make. I am curious to see what you will select.
Caleb fought to stay calm and keep himself from thinking of anything specific. He understood immediately that the choice was too important to make in haste.
The first option was simple and straightforward, and probably the choice Arluthu expected him to make. An arena plucked from his experience and memory, chosen to make things as hard on Corporal Novai as he could. Earth maybe? He was familiar with that arena, and Novai would have no idea how to navigate a trife-infested city. If the challenge was combat, he could do that. If the goal was survival, he would have an advantage there too.
But there was another option. It was higher risk. It was also higher reward. He would lose his advantage against the corporal, and it
might cost him the challenge. But it might also be a much quicker, easier path to the answers he needed.
And, it might just take Arluthu off-guard.
Did he want to win the battle?
Or did he want to take a risk that might help him fight a war?
Caleb closed his eyes. He owed it to Sho, Flores, Dante, and all of the others who had died to give everything he had. It didn’t matter if he put himself at a disadvantage. The stakes were just too high.
He didn’t speak the arena. He thought of it, even though he had no idea what it looked like, where it was, or how his decision might play out. It was as much a black box to him as he assumed it would be to Novai.
An interesting choice.
That was all Arluthu said in response to his selection. There was no hint of surprise or fear. Maybe the Relyeh leader still didn’t get it. Maybe he was so sure of his position he couldn’t see how the choice might hurt him. Or maybe he knew something Caleb didn’t. Maybe he knew that even armed with the truth, there was nothing Caleb could do to set the Inahri free.
Maybe he was even hoping Caleb would show his hand. Maybe that was why he gave him a choice in the first place. Caleb’s goal was to take Arluthu off-guard, but Arluthu’s response took him off-guard instead.
And when the arena started to take shape around him, he wasn’t prepared for what was revealed.
Chapter 29
It was still dark, but Caleb expected that. It was also hot and humid, giving him immediate insight into where he really was. Or where he metaphysically was. Whether the haze caused a shared hallucination or forced him into some strange, subconscious state, he knew his body was still in the Kuu, a branch from the Dabboth impaling him, his blood spilling on the floor.
