Once we were at the Labyrinth, I asked Dop, “Who’s your bait?”
“That’s the best part,” he whispered. A huge grin snaked across his face, and Riis stepped out from the crowd, helmet against her hip.
“You!” I couldn’t believe it. It didn’t seem fair. I looked at her helmet. It was the same as Max’s. I always thought Riis used the helmet for a stridling or some other transportation device. But this meant she had been playing Quest-Nest every single cycle.
Dop must have caught me staring, and bragged, “Only the best.”
I looked at Max. She whispered, “Let it go, JT. Think about our strategy.”
“Where do I get the tetrascope?” Theodore asked, obviously unconcerned about the change of events.
“Follow us,” another kid said, and Theodore shouted, “Good luck!” over his shoulder as he followed the aliens like old friends.
I pushed past Dop and heard him snicker. It took everything not to smash my helmet against his stupid face. I wanted to beat Dop more than ever now.
Once inside the arena, Max whispered, “Make him pay in the game.”
“Oh, he’ll pay,” I hissed.
“Let’s go to the goal, Max,” Riis said.
I didn’t even try to go to the Citizens’ ready room. I went straight to the knudniks’ entry crystal. Besides, I needed a moment or two to figure this out. Why did I care that I was playing Riis? It was Dop I wanted to beat. Was that his tactic? Well, it wouldn’t work. I was going to do everything in my power to make sure Dop was going to purchase twenty-one pobs when this match was finished.
In the knudniks’ ready room I placed the unusual helmet over my head. It smelled funky, like burned cabbage or something, and the metal was corroded from eons of oxidation. Does it even work? I wondered. But when I slipped it on, I felt a strange sensation between my ears that wrapped around the base of my skull, as if someone were pulling my hair against the grain of my scalp. The cracked visor fizzled and popped, aborting any attempt to display the data I would never see.
Then I suddenly wondered, Did my father wear one of these? Did he wear this one? It certainly looked old enough. In an odd way, the possibility was comforting. I was here to do a job, and I planned to do it well. I stepped onto the crystal, and the energy field sprang up in front of me. After a moment it started to pulse, picking up its pace. But when it stopped, it did not land on me. My stomach dropped, taking my confidence with it. I stood and waited while Dop controlled the first stage of the sort.
The wait felt like a light-year. What would he pick? He couldn’t fly, I knew that much. Dop’s essence was more plant than bird or aquatic being. And he breathed oxygen just like me, so I knew he wouldn’t pick GAS or LIQUID. Or would he?
Finally the diamond shapes faded up on my screen: MECHANIC, KINETIC, and PSIONIC. I instantly reached for MECHANIC. I wasn’t taking any chances. The diamonds spun away, and almost immediately they returned with the options: PHYSICAL, MENTAL, or BIOLOGICAL. That was fast. Did Dop have some sort of plan? I was hesitant to pick BIOLOGICAL this time, since Ceesar had beaten me so easily with it. My gut told me that Dop was dumber than he let on, so I wanted to choose MENTAL. Never underestimate you opponent, a voice inside my head said. I needed to play to my strengths, and right now that was my robotic arm. I could control torque, strength, pain threshold. I selected PHYSICAL, and the shield turned to stone.
While I waited, my confidence was beginning to creep back in. Take it easy — you don’t know what’s behind that wall. But I was ready. I wanted this. My head was clear and my mind focused on one thing — victory.
When the wall fell, I was immediately thrust into a smog-filled corridor, so dense I couldn’t see my own feet. My throat grew thick, and I could barely swallow. My left nostril plugged up and I gasped for air. What was this stuff? I was standing on solid ground, so Dop must have chosen SOLID, unless GAS carried properties that I had overlooked. A section of my visor flashed red, but the information it was trying to feed me could not make it past the crack in the glass. Nice gift, Dop! Every gulp of air gave me the minimal amount of oxygen, and I scratched at my throat for more. I can’t lose already! my mind screamed. But Dop must be experiencing the same thing, I thought. I pushed myself blindly into the fog, reaching out with my hands. I fumbled into a wall and groped my way to the left, gulping in short breaths. The game was trying to kill me. Faster, I thought. There must be a solution.
The corridor turned again. Just ahead of me, two energy fields sliced through the fog, beseeching me to come forward — a purple one to my right and a yellow one to my left. Could one of these reveal the source of the fog? But which one? The familiar blackness crept around my eyes as my brain was starved for oxygen. I knew I was going to pass out. With no more time to think, I dove at the purple force field. My skin tingled as I slipped through a shower of electricity and gasped for fresh air.
There was none.
Instead I sucked in another lungful of the rancid, chemical air. I spotted a large rusted lever on the wall. I shut my eyes, trying to steady myself, and forced my weight down upon the lever. The fog seemed to shift away, but my body still craved oxygen. My brain was swimming. I turned toward the yellow force field across from me. The fog rolled away, revealing a black trench cut into the floor, about a meter and a half wide, right in front of the energy field. If I had chosen the yellow force field first, I would have slipped down the trench and the game would have been over.
My ears were crackling, and I could hardly keep my eyes open. There was no time left. I took a step back and then leaped though the field. If this didn’t work, the game was over. Dop would have won.
My arm struck another mechanical lever. I pushed on it (or rather lay on it) and closed my eyes. A hissing sound filled my ears. Oxygen! I gulped the air as if I was dying from thirst. I could breathe! My head cleared quickly, and my fingers and toes tingled. I hadn’t even noticed that they had been going numb. My vision began to clear, and I stood up. Was Dop already through? I did not have time to think. There were thirteen more obstacles ahead of me.
I tore down the hallway. Around the corner I discovered a maze of metal girders that led to a hallway about four meters above me. I accessed the torque and strength levels in my arm and hoisted myself up, taking the shortest way possible. I went as fast as I could, but I knew Dop would have no trouble keeping up.
I ran and then stopped in front of another opening in the ground. A single chain dangled from the ceiling into the middle of the hole. I instantly thought of the tunnels on Orbis 2 and Max flinging herself onto the metal rope. Without breaking stride, I leaped over the gaping hole and reached for the chain but realized that, like an idiot, I was reaching with my left hand! What was I doing? I caught the chain, but my weak arm could not hold on, and I slid down the chain. With my right hand I quickly clamped onto the chain. My body jolted to a stop, and the rattling chain echoed down the pit. Immediately I jerked my body, getting the chain swinging. I held on with my left hand and reached for the ledge with my right, hoisting myself up.
Faster. You need to go faster, I told myself.
I considered contacting Vairocina. I was a softwire. I could easily slip into the central computer and change the game. But that would be cheating. It was not an option. I pushed the thought from my mind and ran faster.
The labyrinth continued to challenge me with more obstacles, each requiring some level of physical prowess. Every detail in the labyrinth reminded me of the manufacturing facilities on Orbis 2, and I guessed that Dop must have chosen INDUSTRIAL in the first stage of the sort. When I rounded the last corridor, I spotted the red energy field of the goal. Max saw me and jumped to her feet, pointing and waving her arms in the air. Circling the goal were two enormous holographic Neewalkers.
How could that be? I’d chosen PHYSICAL in the final stage of the sort.
They towered over Max by a least three quarters of a meter as they patrolled the court, perched on their mechanical stilts. Their massive
shoulders bulged under thick metal collars, each sprouting wiry tentacles that circled their bald, painted heads. They carried no weapons. That was unusual for a Neewalker. This would be a physical fight.
Anyone would have panicked at the sight of the Neewalkers, but I smiled. I wasn’t going to go into the central computer for help, but I could access the computers that ran the Neewalkers’ mechanical stilts. I’d done it before, on Orbis 1, with great results.
First, I broke through the goal, dropping the energy bubble that imprisoned Max. Riis was still locked inside of hers. I was ahead of Dop. Amazing! By breaking the energy field, I would shorten Dop’s time for the return run.
“You were fast,” Max squealed as the shield went down. “Where’s my weapon?”
“There aren’t any. Watch out!” The Neewalker swung at Max and she ducked. “I chose PHYSICAL in the sort. We’ll have to fight them by hand.”
“Disable them with your softwire.”
“I’m already ahead of you; stay behind me.”
I circled the first Neewalker. His face was painted with a blue OIO symbol, snaking up from his chin and curving up and around his eyes. His tall stilts whirled and buzzed as he lunged toward us.
“You still smell like fish,” I hissed, and pushed into the computer mechanics of the Neewalker’s stilts — except there were none! There was nothing to push into. The Neewalker was a hologram created by the central computer. In every way this menace looked and acted like a real Neewalker, very capable of crushing me into the plate metal court. But there were no computers running the stilts of this creature. The central computer generated the whole thing.
“It’s a holograph!” I shouted.
“So?”
“There’s nothing to get my mind into! I don’t know what to do!” I yelled.
Max stepped out from behind me and pushed the words through her clenched teeth: “There is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
She charged straight at the Neewalker as it raised its massive fist high above its head, eager to deliver a deadly wallop.
“Don’t, Max!”
The alien swung fast and hard, but Max dropped to the ground feet-first and slammed into its stilt. The Neewalker buckled and threw his arms forward, bracing for the fall. Its mangled stilt tore away, revealing a fleshy fin where a foot should be.
“Awesome!” I shouted. That Neewalker was no longer a threat, but there was still one more to go. “Now what?”
“Run!”
We both bolted for the opening. Dop was nowhere in sight. Riis watched the whole thing, still trapped within her own goal. The other Neewalker quickly moved to block the door. I charged at the vile creature, imitating Max’s success with the first one. As I dropped to the ground and slid toward the alien’s right stilt, it lifted the mechanical support and began to spin on its left leg. Smart. But then I reached out for the other stilt with my strong arm, using it as a battering ram. The Neewalker’s leg crumpled on impact. As it crashed to the floor, I caught a glimpse of the startled look in its eyes.
Max and I then worked as a team, skillfully maneuvering our way back through the labyrinth. My fresh experience with the obstacles and her cunning gained us valuable time on the return. We were almost near the finish when the labyrinth pulsed red, signaling it was about to shift.
“We’re gonna lose the exit!” Max shouted as the energy field where I had begun came into view.
On instinct, we both dove through the field and landed on the winner’s crystal.
We had won the match!
We both stood in the glow of the golden winners’ circle and looked up at the crowds of students watching our match. My whole body was alive with energy, and Max and I were jumping around like silly little kids. Is this what freedom felt like? Is this what it felt like to be in charge of your own life? I didn’t know, but I wanted more of it.
Some of the students watching were applauding out of politeness (a rare action for a Citizen) but Theodore, Ketheria, and the other knudniks were simply ecstatic. They jumped and shouted, punching their fists in the air and hugging each other. It felt good. I had beaten Dop.
Dop and Riis stood at the other side of the court. He was waving his arms as he shouted at her. I could only guess that he was blaming her for their loss. Why was she taking that from him? Especially from Dop. Riis removed her helmet and walked away. This only made him scream louder.
“Let’s clean up and find the others,” I said, and we raced to the ready room.
The smell of that rancid gas was in my clothes and my hair. The water showers would be a welcome treat, I thought.
“You were so fast, JT,” Max cried.
“I couldn’t have gotten back so fast without you. You really cut the time down. You were awesome.”
Max smiled.
“You’re the best, Max,” I said matter-of-factly.
In the ready room, I left the helmet on the stone bench and stepped under the water pouring out from the thick gray stones. I pulled my shirt off and let the water soak into my body. It felt good.
“Hmmm,” I sighed. “This is great.”
I finished undressing, but Max was still standing at the edge of the shower, not moving, just staring at me.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Don’t you want to wash up?”
She just kept looking at me.
Suddenly I felt very naked, seeing Max fully clothed. “What’s wrong? I’ve seen you naked a million times on the Renaissance. When did you get so shy?”
But Max was still silent. She dipped her chin, smiled, and walked toward me. She slipped under the water still in her clothes and stood directly in front of me. I’d been close to Max many times, but this was different for some reason. I could see the little sparkles of yellow in her green eyes, and even the tiny little pores in her skin. The water flowed off her hair and a little water bubble collected on her upper lip.
Then Max closed her eyes, releasing the water caught in her eyelashes, and I felt her breath against my skin. Then Max pushed her lips against mine. It was gentle and soft, but not a drop of water was able to pass between us. Something shot up my spine against the direction of the water, and at that moment everything that was Max was now in me. My eyes were still open and as I watched her, she never looked prettier to me than she did at that moment.
When she pulled away, I said, “What did you do that for?”
I could tell immediately that something was wrong. Max’s eyes went cold, and I felt a hundred times more naked.
“Oh, Johnny,” she breathed, her voice deflated. She dropped her head, but this time she did not smile. Instead she ran from the ready room.
“Max, wait. I didn’t mean . . .”
But I was too late. What just happened? Why do I feel so stupid right now? The buzz from victory was gone. It was light-years away now. I stood under the water, staring at the spot where Max just stood, trying to focus my eyes on her face, but the water only made everything blurry. I felt awful.
There was nothing in the ready room to dry myself with, so I pulled my clothes over my wet skin. Most of the kids were waiting in the stands after the match finished. Dop was already there when I ran up to Theodore and Ketheria.
“Where’s Max?” I asked frantically, searching the crowd.
“That was unbelievable, JT!” Theodore gushed.
“Why is your hair wet?” Ketheria questioned me.
I wasn’t listening. “Where’s Max?”
“She already left. She was completely wet,” Ketheria replied. “Why aren’t your clothes wet? Your hair is wet.”
“Would you shut up with your questions?” I snapped.
Ketheria dropped her head and stared at the floor in response.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean that. Really.”
“Don’t worry about Max; everything will be fine,” she whispered, but I knew it wouldn’t. I couldn’t do anything right at the moment. I had just won the biggest match of my life, and I felt horrible.<
br />
“Way to cheat, knudnik,” Dop accused me in front of everyone.
“What?”
His comment seem to rustle up support from his friends
“I know you cheated. Just like on the placement exam. Everyone will agree with me,” he continued. “You did something with the central computer, didn’t you? You tapped in like some disgusting Space Jumper.”
That was too much for me. I had beaten him, and I hadn’t cheated. I jumped at Dop, but Theodore stood in the way. “He did not. I scoped him the entire game. He never used the central computer once,” Theodore argued.
Dop snorted. “Likely story from another knudnik.”
“You were the one who cheated, Dop,” called a voice from the crowd. It was Riis. She pushed her way through the crowd and stood next to me. She grabbed my helmet and held it up. “You got him this helmet and busted the visor. I saw you do it. You didn’t want him to know what he was up against at the beginning of the match.”
“You cheated to beat a knudnik, but you still lost?” someone scoffed. The crowd was turning on Dop.
Riis tossed him the helmet and said, “Maybe it will help you next time.”
Dop did not catch the helmet, and it hit the ground with a clang. Instead he stepped toward Riis and in a menacing tone growled at her, “Your house will soon be mine, Wiicerian. I will make you pay for this defection.”
But Riis did not back down. Instead, she spat in his face. The saliva rolled down his cheek, but he did not move. Dop stuck out his long brownish tongue and slurped the spit off his cheek. I don’t care what planet you’re from — that is still disgusting.
“Soon,” he whispered. “Soon.”
Dop spun around and stormed off.
“What is he talking about?” I asked Riis.
“It means nothing,” she snapped, watching him leave. “You played a good game, Softwire. You and Max will be very hard to beat.” And she left the Labyrinth, too.
“What did Dop mean?” Theodore said. “What house?”
“I don’t know.”
“She really hates him,” Ketheria commented.
Wormhole Pirates on Orbis Page 12
