by Darren Sloan
"Look. I don't know where this suit came from. On Earth, I signed up for some down low experiment and that's when this thing got fused to me."
"Who performed this experiment?"
"I don't know. They never identified themselves to me." I said. I was highly suspicious of Manicore Industries, as they were the only ones other than the police who wanted Spectrum's head on a platter. I was tempted to share this theory with Denwall, but I figured if I did tell him, he might turn around and go back to Earth and vaporize the whole city. The last thing I wanted was to lead them back home.
"I believe what you say to be true. I do. Our system of law is not so blind, but the fact is you carry the God's Blood within you, and whether you were the one to steal it or not, you are the only one we can retrieve it from. The people of Xenos will demand justice, however."
"So, you're going to put me on trial, find me guilty and then kill me."
"You will be given every chance to defend yourself."
"You'll excuse me if I'm not overly optimistic. Can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"What's happening on Earth?"
"What do you mean?"
"They just had the first alien invasion in recorded history. I can only imagine every news organization is going coo-coo bananas right now. Not to mention all the people. Are they rioting? Going crazy?" Denwall smiled and allowed a low laugh escape his lips.
"No. We had already inserted agents of our own into selected posts within your government and other institutions. From these strategic points, they will be able to control the flow of information and help to quell the hysteria that would grip your planet. We understood what we were doing. Your people aren't quite ready for all of this."
"You've had this planned out for some time, haven't you?"
"Not too long. Our military machine can be quickly organized, should we need it." I felt some relief over that. The idea of Tyler being caught in the midst of all that insanity was driving me nuts.
"Is there any way I can see how it's going down there? I mean, do you have any camera feeds or anything monitoring them?"
"No. I'm sorry. Just rest assured that your loved ones are out of harm’s way. In as far as the forces of Xenos are concerned."
"I guess that's as good as it gets. Thanks."
"You're welcome. We should reach Xenos soon. Prepare yourself, Spectrum. That is what you call yourself, isn't it?"
"That or Jason. Hell, I'm going to die. What do I need a secret identity for?"
"Rest, Spectrum. You'll be on trial soon enough."
Chapter 11
Xenos
I finally managed to find some peace at last and felt sleep overtaking my body, but just as I was about to close my eyes, the entire ship jerked and I heard loud noises coming from all around. It sounded like a lot of metallic clanging. No explosions or sirens. It felt as though we had run into a comet or asteroid. I got up off the bench and a few moments went by before the door of my cell opened again and Denwall returned.
"We have arrived. Arms out."
"What?"
"Hold your arms out." He repeated. I held out my arms to him and he produced some weird looking restraints. They looked like some kind of futuristic cuffs. He placed them on my wrists and in a blink of my eye they extended up to my elbow and locked my arms together.
"Is this really necessary? I mean, I did surrender."
"Until we find out the truth about what's going on here, there is no precaution too extreme. In those restraints you should be unable to access your abilities. If by chance they fail and you make one false move, my guards are prepared to deal with you," I looked past Denwall to his guards and they held their rifles close to their chests with their fingers hooked around the triggers. I hadn't planned on any grand escape, but if I had been, I would have changed my mind. "Now, let's go. The Council is anxious to meet with you."
Denwall forced me through the door and the guards led me down the long hall I had come in through. When we reached the upper level, the whole ship was different. It looked as though the entire upper half of the ship had opened up and light flooded my eyes. I was pushed forward and as my eyes focused, I saw a small gathering of people at the bottom of a long deck. They were all dressed similarly to Captain Denwall and they all had very grave expressions on their faces. As I walked toward them, I wondered why there wasn't a bigger turn out. I had expected to see a large swarm of people waiting for the return of their precious God's Blood, but instead I only get the sad sack committee.
I was forced to a stop a few feet from them. It was a mixed group. There were a few women and some men. They all were wearing similar uniforms. They were dark in color and fit rather nicely, or so it seemed. The design was, as most things from Xenos were I was learning, very minimal.
"Spectrum of Earth. Welcome to Xenos." The man in the middle said. He looked to be the oldest of the group. His arms were tucked behind his back and he stared at me with cold eyes. He had dark hair on his head, closely cropped with a few short silver stripes along his temples.
"Hello." I said.
"I am Prime Nero. This council will oversee your case."
"My trial."
"If you want to call it that, yes."
"So far that I can tell, the general opinion is that I'm going to lose. Why even bother?"
"We hold high regard for due process. It just seems in this instance, there seems to be little chance of you proving your innocence."
"Great. I get my day in court, but I get my head chopped off all the same."
"Perhaps, or perhaps not. This is an extraordinary case and to be perfectly honest, The Council and I are a bit perplexed as to what to think."
"Is there any way I will be able to get out of this alive? To get back to my home?"
"There is no death sentence strictly on the table. As for returning home, I'm afraid that will be highly unlikely." My heart sank a bit when I heard that. As dire as everything looked, there was still a little voice in the back of my head that kept saying there was a way back.
"Where is everyone? I'd think bringing back this God's Blood would be a big deal."
"We requested the public be restricted from this. There are many who feel very passionately on this issue and we wanted to remove any chance of someone acting impulsively. The people of Xenos are generally level headed and logical, but this situation hits a very sharp nerve with most."
"All right. So when do we do this?"
"We will be hearing testimony tomorrow. For now, you will be taken to the cells where you may rest and collect your thoughts." I nodded to Nero and then I felt Denwall's hand on my shoulder.
"This way." He said and he took me toward a large gate that opened up to a large building just off the landing area.
As we walked in, I felt as though I had entered into government heaven. The building was enormous in size. The ceiling went up for what could have been miles. Pillars lined the walls and there were large portraits and murals of what looked to be historic moments in Xenosian history. Some of the larger paintings seemed to depict a great war and as I looked upon them, I realized I had seen similar scenes in the dreams I had after I was fused to the God's Blood. I recognized the warring hordes and the blood stained fields. I saw one picture with an imposing figure. He was tall with broad shoulders and long, black hair. It seemed he was leading the charge against the good guys. Of course, I wasn't totally sure who the good guys were.
I was taken down another hall and we walked into a large elevator which shot down fast. After what seemed like at least twenty minutes, the elevator slowed and opened up to a large area that looked to be some kind of space age detention center. There were large blocks of cells and each cell held someone or something. Most the inhabitants looked to be humanoid, but there were a few odd ones. There were some that looked like reptiles, others that had differently colored skin. I saw a few blue ones and a purple one.
There were no bars on the cells either. It looked as though the priso
ners were held inside by an energy field that was barely visible. I was just glad I was still wearing the suit. I was afraid to see how the other inmates would react to a human.
We came upon an empty cell and I was forced in. As soon as I turned, Denwall activated the cell walls and I was trapped.
"Rest. Meals will be delivered in a few hours. I will be back tomorrow to bring you to your convening." He then turned and left with his guards. Once he was out of sight, I fell back against the wall and slid to the floor. It was not a bad cell. I looked over and saw that I would at least have a mattress to sleep on. There was a table and even a book. I got up and picked it up. According to the title on the cover, it was a history book about Xenos. I flipped through a few pages, but I couldn't concentrate enough to get through even one sentence. I threw the book toward the wall and it disintegrated on contact.
"They won't break that easily." I heard from the next cell. The voice was familiar. I turned and it was Panther. She was dressed in a beige prisoner uniform and her hair was shorter. The bandana that had been covering her eyes was gone as well, and the dark orbs of her eyes looked even more unnerving.
"You!" I said as I ran toward her, but stopping just short of the wall between us.
"Hello." Her voice was low and miserable.
"What are you in here for?"
"What do you think? I lied to The Council."
"Huh? What do you mean you lied?"
"I told you that I would not report about discovering the God's Blood on Earth and I kept my word. When I returned and filed my report, I swore to them that my mission had failed."
"Then why did they attack? Your friends showed up on Earth anyway and terrorized the entire city."
"I'm sorry. I was unaware that they were monitoring the activity of all hunters. Even Alpha classes. I swear to you, it was my complete intention to keep your secret."
"So you didn't rat me out?"
"I swore to you. My word is my bond."
"Thanks. I guess. Maybe I should apologize to you. If you hadn't sworn to me, you wouldn't have had to lie and wind up here yourself. What are they going to do to you?"
"I don't know. This has never happened before. No hunter has ever defied The Council. I was told that my trial shall coincide with yours."
"Why?"
"They feel that since the cases are connected, that we should both stand trial together."
"This place is efficient to a fault."
"The disappearance of the God's Blood has had a profound effect on everyone. It's a totally unprecedented event. A lot of people are scared."
"Scared of what? What is the big deal here?"
"That suit you're wearing right now is without a doubt the most powerful weapon in the universe. It has virtually no limits, other than the morals of whoever wears it. It can enable someone to destroy entire planets and throw galaxies into chaos. We, as its protectors, must be very careful in choosing who is allowed to control it. Traditionally a Xenosian is chosen from birth and is trained and conditioned to take possession of the God's Blood on their eighteenth birthday, but only after one last test in order to finally prove their worth. They are The Intended."
"So how did I wind up with it?"
"That's what they're hoping you'll be able to tell them."
"Oh, son of a bitch. I don't know how this happened to me either. What if can't help them? What if I have no information?"
"Then, they will deem that you stole the God's Blood and it seems the sentence is more likely to be death."
Chapter 12
The Trial
I was able to sleep in my cell, despite the trial looming over my head. I tried finding comfort from Panther, but she didn't have any good news for me. She seemed to be resigned to the fact that her life was going to end right after mine. I began to get the impression she was almost looking forward to it. I didn't press on it. I figured it had something to do with the honor of a warrior or something.
The lights in the facility went off and I took that as their way of saying 'lights out'. I lied down on the bed and much to my surprise I was able to close my eyes and soon after that I was asleep. I had no dreams and the suit didn't seem to have anything to say to me either. It was a peaceful, almost dead, sleep.
Light filled my eyes and I was up again. I sat up and got my bearings. It felt like I had only been asleep for a few seconds, but I was rested and almost a little optimistic. I kept thinking about what Panther had been saying about The Intended. I then heard footsteps approaching. I knew what was coming next.
"Good morning." Denwall said as he came up to my cell.
"Hi." I said as I got up to my feet.
"The Council will be convening soon. Are you ready?"
"Was I able to prepare?"
"In most cases, yes, but The Council is confident there is no defense of this. If you have anything to say on your behalf, you will be given time to speak at the trial."
"Great. Real big of you. What's going to happen with Panther?"
"I couldn't say. I think whatever fate awaits her depends on what happens to you."
"So if I die, she dies?"
"What is the saying on your planet? Keep a good thought. You will be fed and then I will return to escort you to the upper chambers."
"I don't suppose I get to choose what could be my last meal?"
"No. I realize on Earth they indulge in these final wishes, but on Xenos, we realize if you are to meet your maker, it matters very little anything you may do lastly in your life. These are, of course, merely vessels. We prefer to condition and enrich what lies within. I'll be back soon." He then turned and left the way he came in. I sat back down on my bed and all the anxieties I should have been feeling all night came crashing down on me.
I lied back down on the bed and tried to get a little more rest, hoping something would come to me in those last few moments, but my mind was too troubled to focus on anything. I heard the sound of a metal tray being placed on the floor and I looked up just as my breakfast was being served. I went over and inspected the 'food' they were serving. I was beginning to wonder how a whole society could live happily eating bowls of slime that tasted like real food. I picked up my meager meal and began to eat. It looked like oatmeal, but tasted like a Belgian waffle with melted butter and strawberry syrup. I looked over and saw Panther shoveling her food as though she hadn't eaten in months.
I was scooping out the last bit when I looked up and saw Denwall returning with some guards following close behind. The walls of my cell faded and I knew the time had come. Denwall walked up to me and held out another pair of restraints, much like the ones that were used when I was taken off the ship.
There was no point in fighting. This was it and the only option I had left was to face my destiny with my head up high. I took some bit of morbid glory that I would be dying on an alien world. Of all the ways I thought I'd go, that wasn't even close to the top fifty.
I was taken up to a new level and when the door of the elevator opened up, I felt my breath leave me. We stepped out onto a large plaza that seemed to be designed to offer the best view of Xenos via a giant window that opened out to the whole city. I finally could see where I had been taken to and I was firmly in awe. The city was beyond belief. There were great towers that stretched far up to the sky and everything looked so clean and new. There were walkways connecting them all, suspended one over all the others. Far beyond the city I could see large mountains looming and I could see a great lake between them. It was all so big and real. It looked so new and ingenious to me. I knew I was only seeing a small bit of it too. I turned to Denwall and he seemed completely unmoved by the sight.
"What is this place?" I asked.
"It is Xenos."
"But what is this city called?"
"Xenos."
"You named a city after your planet?"
"We named the city after our planet. This is the only inhabited city on the planet."
"One city for the whole planet?"
&n
bsp; “Xenos is a large planet to start with. About ten times the size of yours. We decided a long time ago to just take this section for ourselves and we allow the rest of Xenos to exist without our interference."
"How does that work?"
"Xenos is a very well planned and maintained city. The people understand that for the sake of our preservation, we must not overspend our natural resources." He said. As we kept walking along, I felt my eyes glued to the view out the giant window.
"This is amazing, but what if you need something beyond the city?"
"We have everything we need right here. The city, for your reference, is about the size of your North American continent. We have rivers, lakes, oceans and mountains as well as sections for our citizens to live, work and play. All of our living needs can be met within these borders."
"Wow. You guys just came out of the box like this?" I asked.
"I assume Panther explained about the era of civil war, didn't she?"
"She mentioned it to me when we first met."
“Well, that was millions of years ago and back then, Xenos was not the enlightened mecca it has become. In those days the entire planet was ruled by Arkane and in those days, magic, not science, ruled Xenos."
"Magic?"
"Yes. Xenos used to be a place of fantastic beasts and amazing feats of the mystic arts. Magic then was like our science today. They believed in the old Gods and worshipped them like groveling worms. It was a dark age for the planet. Slowly, higher minds grew from the muck and realized there was a better way to live." As Denwall spoke, my mind raced back to the murals I had seen when I first arrived there. The pieces were beginning to fit together.
"Arkane was a wizard?"
"For lack of a better term, yes, and he feared the dawn of science. Any and all forms of technology were strictly forbidden and any who practiced science were jailed or put to death. The tensions built over eons and finally war broke out as those known as The New Technologists struck against Arkane's oppressive rule."
"And then the God's Blood enters the picture."
