by Nate Johnson
“Tell him that we don’t know of these Scraggs but that we ask only to be allowed to stay here, among the Eundai while we wait for our friends. That we don’t intend him or his people any harm.”
The Professor laughed, “The - We come in peace, speech.”
“Yeah, you’ve got it.”
The Professor relayed Nick’s message then paused waiting for a response.
Grundal stared at them for a long moment, then barked a quick command.
Instantly, Nick felt the cold hardness of a medieval sword pressing to the back of his neck. His stomach fell as he froze in place, silently praying that the prick behind him knew what he was doing. A sudden move or a quick slip and he’d have a severed spinal cord. Something even the Nano’s couldn’t fix.
Slowly rotating his eyes to the side, he quickly ascertained that all four of the human’s had a sword point aimed at the back of their necks. Amanda’s face was as white as a Dwarf star. Professor Robinson looked like he wanted to relieve himself in his suit. Even Doc Simpson couldn’t keep the emotion from her face.
Swallowing hard, Nick looked back at Grundal. One word he realized, and the leader of the Eundai could instantly end the first historic meeting between aliens and humans. A bloody ending that no one would ever know about.
“Grund ...” Nick began.
The Headman waved his arm, a gesture that Nick interpreted to mean shut-up. Deciding that it might be best to follow the instructions, he shut his mouth and held still.
Grundal turned to his adviser. The two males whispered back and forth for a minute. Nick had the sickening feeling that Grynd was arguing for a quick death for these foreign invaders.
The Headman argued back, then issued an order to the Professor.
“He says to lower your bag,” the Professor said. “And to put your fire weapon on the ground or all of us will die.”
Nick nodded slightly as he let his tool bag slip from his shoulder.
The bag hit the floor with a heavy clank. The Eundai to a person all seemed shocked as the loud metallic sound echoed off the stone walls.
Being careful to not make any sudden moves, he slowly removed the flare gun from his suit pocket and set it on top of the tool bag. For a brief moment, he considered a quick move. He could step away from his guardian and twist around and shot the guy in the face, then plant a flare in Grundal’s chest.
He might have made it, a good ten percent chance of reaching the forest. But Amanda and the others wouldn’t make it. No way. Less than one percent chance.
“Did you tell him we came in peace?” Nick hissed at the Professor.
“Yes,” he hissed back, his head held perfectly still.
Grundal watched him then said something to the adviser.
The older male nodded before he stepped forward to retrieve the flare gun.
Nick held his breath as the guy slowly examined the weapon. Twisting and turning it. Looking down the barrel then taping the plastic handle.
The adviser’s brow narrowed in obvious confusion when the gun suddenly erupted in his hand, sending an orange flare shooting over Grundal’s head and ricocheting off the far corner wall, up off the ceiling and then back into the center of the room where it sputtered and twisted in circles on the stone floor.
Nick froze, afraid to breathe as the room filled with a burnt cordite smell mixed with phosphorus.
Both human and Eundai were too terrified to move as they all stared at the flare burning brightly with a pink flame.
At last, the flare died down, and a semblance of semi-normal returned. At least enough so that Nick could take a breath.
The advisor looked at the pistol and then at his leader who he had almost killed. Nick could have sworn he saw some strange look pass behind the guy’s eyes. A look that he quickly hid from Grundal.
Turning quickly, Grynd held the flare gun pointed directly at Nick’s nose.
Nick swallowed hard and held his breath as he watched the Eundai’s long claw like finger search for the trigger. The flare had discarded the spent round and loaded a new one. The thing was as dangerous as a snake at this range.
With a sharp blade at his neck and a flare gun two feet away pointed directly at him. Nick gritted his teeth and waited for the inevitable.
Grundal suddenly yelled a command, obviously directing Grynd to stand down. The older Eundai’s hand wavered for just a moment, and Nick could see the battle going on in the guy’s mind. Anger and shame battling with loyalty and discipline. For just the briefest of moments, Nick felt sure that anger was going to win, but then, finally, the creature’s hand lowered.
The Headman studied his second in command for a long moment then issued another set of orders.
Both Professor Robinson and Amanda gasped.
“What is it?” Nick asked as a sickening feeling washed through him.
“We are to be sent to the Julatd,” Amanda said with a hitch in her voice.
“What in the hell is a Julatd?”
“As far as I can tell,” Professor Robinson interrupted. “I guess, the best interpretation would be – Dungeon.”
Nick sighed, as four large male Eundai pulled the wooden lattice drain up and out of the way, exposing a set of stone steps that led down into darkness.
“That was what I was afraid of,” Nick said as the idiot behind him pushed the tip of his sword forward. Forcing him and the others to the gaping hole.
Chapter Eleven
Amanda closed her eyes in the darkness and rested her back against the cold stone wall as she slowly slid down to sit on the hard floor.
Bringing her knees up, she wrapped her arms around them and fought to stop from shivering. Under no circumstances could the others be allowed to see how frightened she was.
Raising her head, she examined their new home. The lattice work above let in just enough light to scan the room. Twenty-foot square, made of solid stone. A lime green mold grew in the upper corners. The only exit through the door at the top of the stairs.
In the far corner a wooden bucket. Her brow narrowed as she tried to figure out why they had left an empty bucket down here. Then, when she figured it out, her stomach turned over. What was worse, she was going to have to use that bucket soon.
The thought made her shudder.
Nick was running his hands along the wall, obviously looking for a week spot. She wanted to tell him not to bother. The Eundai wouldn’t leave an easy exit from this hell.
Her head sank to rest on her knees. ‘Peaceful’ that was what she had thought of the Eundai. When she was wrong she was so far wrong, they hadn’t invented a word for it.
This was all her fault. Somehow, it had to be. She should have seen what the Doctor was up to. If she’d been a better observer she would have seen the warlike tendencies in the Eundai.
Instead, they were locked in a square stone cell on an uncharted world. Lost and forgotten. Her father would be furious. Aliens were upstairs discussing their fate. And oh yeah, Nick was mad at her for hiding her family connections.
This was not how she had expected the day to go.
“What are you doing?” Doctor Simpson said to Nick.
“Getting comfortable,” Nick said as he stepped out of his suit. “I’ve got a feeling we’re going to be here for a while.”
Wearing his uniform coveralls, he crept up the stairs to examine the door. Grabbing one of the cross bars, he rattled the cage then quickly jumped back when a spear stabbed at his hand.
“Christ,” he muttered as he wiped the back of his hand on his suit.
“I’ve still got the first aid kit,” Amanda said as she removed the small package from her suit pocket.
“That’s okay,” he said as he shook his head.
He wouldn’t look at her, she realized. The thought sent a sick feeling to the bottom of her stomach. A sad, tired feeling that had to push the other sad feelings to the side.
She didn’t know what was worse, being trapped here, or having Nick mad at her.
Suddenly, she spun and sputtered at Nick, “This is all your fault. You wanted to be in charge. Now look. I knew you were worthless.”
Nick didn’t smile. He just stared back at the woman. Amanda's heart jumped when she saw his eyes narrow. It was the look of a predator, she realized. The look a wolf gave a rabbit. He could tear this woman apart in as millisecond, and there wasn’t anything anyone could have done to stop him.
“Rebecca,” Professor Robinson said as he slowly touched her shoulder.
“No,” she exclaimed as she pulled away from him. “This man has ruined everything. The most critical moment in the history of humankind and he has destroyed it.”
Nick laughed back at her. “Listen, lady, we wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t sabotaged the mission. Some might even call it treason. But I will let the Imperial courts make that decision. In the meantime, I would prefer it if you just kept your mouth shut.”
Doctor Simpson put her hands on her hips, even in the dim darkness, Amanda could see her face turn bright red, and her lips tremble.
“How dare you,” Doctor Simpson exclaimed, obviously unaware of how close to danger she really was. “You sit there, calm and so arrogant as if you don’t have a care in the galaxy. This is your fault, and I demand that you fix it.”
Nick pushed himself up off the floor and looked down at Doctor Simpson for a long minute. The quiet echoed off the walls as Amanda held her breath, afraid that any movement might set him off.
Leaning over the older woman, Nick quietly whispered, “Doc, you remind me of a New Kansas summer storm. All wind and no oomph. Screaming and hollering ain’t going to get you anywhere. So at least pretend you’ve got some brains and shut up.”
Then, in the meanest cut of all, he turned his back on her as if she were no more worry than a distant sunbeam.
An awkward silence filled the darkness. For what seemed like hours, no one said a word, each lost in their own little world
Amanda kept her head buried on her knees and felt her bladder screaming at her. Gritting her teeth, she ignored the pain and prayed for a miracle.
Looking up, she eyed the bucket but shook her head. No way.
Nick caught her staring at the bucket and smiled in sympathy. Then, standing, he moved the bucket into the deepest darkest corner.
“Go ahead,” he said to Amanda, “We’ll turn our backs.”
“No,” she said as her breath escaped her.
“Listen,” he said. “We could be here for days or even months. The rules have changed.”
She held her breath and looked from him to the bucket in the corner and then back to him. There appeared to be no miracle in sight.
Needless to say, the next few minutes were the most mortifying of her young life. But she got through it. Somehow, she survived.
It was the first of many such moments over the next few days. Their time in the chamber, as they came to call it, was dictated by routine interrupted by brief moments of embarrassment.
Each morning, the lattice trap door would open, and the guards would demand the filled bucket from below.
Once it had been handed up. Three buckets were placed on the top step. An empty bucket for their use. One filled with water, the third filled with a pasty white mush that tasted like some kind of blend of mashed potatoes and Brussel sprouts. Their joint meals for the day.
Each evening, another bucket of water was delivered.
Any chance of rushing the guards was eliminated by the dozen spears pointed into the opening. Even Nick couldn’t overcome such odds.
Amanda felt as if she had been sent back in time to an era where things like hygiene, honor, modesty, and any sense of space had disappeared. She had been sent into a dark hell devoted to making her life miserable.
Sighing internally, she listened to Nick and Professor Robinson work on his language lessons. Although why he bothered she couldn’t understand. If they were lucky, the rescue party would arrive, and they’d never have to deal with these monsters ever again.
If they were unlucky. They would be pulled from their hole and killed slowly.
Either way, he wasn’t really going to need to know their language.
Wrapping her hands around her knees, her new default position. She rested her head against the cold wall and thought about the last meal she had shared with her family. The cook had prepared an excellent Montlake stew. Her favorite.
Her father had smiled at her. His eyes filled with pride. Her mother’s eyes were wet with unshed tears, and she had felt loved. Even her little brother had been impressed. His big sister was being sent to study intelligent aliens.
What would they think if they could see her now? Surrounded by a stomach churning stink. The kind of stink only four unwashed bodies could make. Trapped in a stone room waiting for someone else to take action.
Just waiting.
Sighing, she gritted her teeth to stop herself from screaming.
The boring, quiet hell continued for two more days. Amanda was positive she was going to lose her mind when the lattice door rattled.
That couldn’t be right. They had received their morning meal only hours earlier.
But the door swung up and away to crash onto the floor above. Immediately, six sharp spear points waved in the opening as one of the guards yelled down.
“They say we are to go up,” Professor Robinson said.
“Yeah, I caught that,” Nick said as he pushed himself up.
Amanda’s stomach clenched up into a tight ball. Was this it. Were they to be led to the Eundai version of a gallows? Would they be surrounded by a thousand quiet aliens watching them die? Wondering who they were and where they were from.
Nick gave her an encouraging nod before he led the way up the stairs.
Swallowing hard, she forced herself to follow.
The light hurt her eyes, making her hold an arm over her face to cut down the glare.
When her sight finally adjusted, she was able to see the room was ringed with armed guards. Grundal and Grynd stood in the far corner with Gryopic on the other side. Their faces set in stone, giving no clue as to her fate.
Amanda did notice that Grundal’s queen, Everst, was not present. Was that because what was about to happen was too upsetting?
Swallowing again, she made her way to stand next to Nick on the far side of the room.
The four of them stood there waiting. Grundal studied them for a long moment then barked a command for Nick to step forward.
Nick complied without anyone having to interpret for him. The man had really picked up as a lot from the Professor’s lessons, Amanda realized.
Her heart raced. What were they going to do with him? Please, she begged, don’t hurt him.
Grynd stepped forward and spoke rapidly. Too rapidly for her to completely follow.
Professor Robinson leaned forward and said to Nick, “He says that you are to fight with bruxals, their wooden staffs.”
“Are there any rules?” Nick asked them in the Eundai language.
The Eundai word for ‘No’ echoed through the room and into her heart.
Nick nodded and took a deep breath. Amanda saw a quick look of worry pass behind his eyes. Was this to be a death match? Was it the Eundai’s form of execution?
Grundal waved his arm, and a guard stepped out of line to hand Nick a long wooden staff.
Nick slowly examined the long stave. Weighing it in his hand. Twisting and turning it as he tried to get a feel for the weapon. When he was done, he simply looked at Grundal.
Grynd told him that he was to fight. Amanda could see an evil glint in the aliens eyes that left little doubt, the Eundai wanted him hurt.
Amanda had a sinking feeling there was more to this. A test of some sort. She could see that the same thought had occurred to Nick. What would happen if he lost?
&nbs
p; Her heart pounded. What did he know about fighting with sticks? They were going to tear him apart. She knew it in the depths of her soul.
He glanced back at her and gave her a quick shrug then placed the butt of the weapon between his feet, lowered his head, and closed his eyes.
Amanda had to stifle a gasp. What was the man doing? He looked like a monk praying before being tossed into a volcano.
Grundal looked confused for a second, then waved his man forward.
The guard looked a little older than the normal guard. His scaly skin could not hide the scars on his shoulder and upper cheek. The marks spoke of experience.
He was almost as tall as Nick with a barrel chest and larger, stronger arms that looked like they could pound his staff into solid stone.
Slowly, the guard approached his adversary, warily studying the alien before him.
Nick didn’t open his eyes. He stood there, his head bent, his two hands grasping the staff. Almost resting on it like it was the only thing stopping him from falling over.
The male Eundai studied him for a long moment, his eyebrows narrowed in confusion. Shrugging his shoulders, he used his staff to gently push at Nick’s stomach, then instantly jumped back bringing his weapon up in a defensive stance.
Nick didn’t react. Not an eyelid flutter. He just stood there. Amanda held her breath, unable to believe what was happening right in front of her. She realized that in her entire life she had never witnessed a true fight in real life. Never experience this immense weight of tension and dread. Never felt such gut wrenching fear.
The male Eundai’s brow scrunched up as he tried to understand. Unable to figure out the puzzle he looked at his leader for guidance.
Grundal had set his jaw, obviously upset. Nodding again, he encouraged his man to continue.
The guard stepped back, focused on Nick, then swung his staff, catching Nick in the upper arm with a strong blow. Not enough to do damage but enough to hurt. Enough to get him to react.
But Nick absorbed the blow, rocking to the side for a second then regained his stance. Still, his eyes remained closed, and his head bent, almost resting his chin on his chest.
Amanda wanted to yell at him to protect himself. Staring at the attacking Eundai she gave him her best stink eye, wishing each and every curse she could imagine on his head.
