“Use it all ya want, Bob,” Naijen yelled out.
Mencari turned to Eyani. “Is there anything else you needed from us?”
“Nothing for the moment. If we get any further leads on those creatures or the Nurealians, I’ll let you know.”
“Should we continue to Argosy then?” Seigie asked.
“Let’s check in with Osuto,” Mencari said. “But, I think, yes, we continue on.”
Naijen pumped his massive fist into the air. “Good, maybe get that practicin’ in yet!”
CHAPTER 3:
Sky City and The Smog Sea
“Ujaku is en route to Tericn now,” Osuto’s holographic projection said. “As soon as Toriko asked him to come, he was in his ship and gone. He hoped he’d be back in a few days.”
“Well, at least we have an idea of what’s going on now,” Mencari said, relieved.
“Assuming Toriko returns with him,” Osuto added.
Mencari inwardly cringed. He didn’t really think through her reaction. Might she not come back? “We’re going to move on Argosy,” he said.
“Scanners show continued Nukari trail activity there. Be careful, keep a low profile.”
“What about skull crackin’!” Naijen protested.
“Only if you have to,” Osuto said.
“It says here, Argosy’s one of the worlds that helped form the inter-quadrant transport system,” Seigie said, reviewing the information from the Trading Post. “Due to its far orbit, a spaceway branch known as the Argen Bypass was constructed to allow Uber Allas-class ships to move goods without disrupting the clusters of worlds along the main spaceway.”
Naijen let out an impatient huff, pulling out the Skar and twirling it. Mencari looked back at the sound of the blades slinging out, then snapping back inside, then again, and again. He wondered if Naijen had some type of attention deficit disorder, or perhaps autistic tendencies.
Mencari noticed Allia watching, before mimicking Naijen’s action with her own weapon. Naijen gazed over at his protégé, grinning slyly.
Great. Both of them?
“It says here they’re celebrating something called ‘The Rising,’” Seigie said, continuing to read. “Some type of annual festival.”
Annoyed, Naijen blurted, “Great, sounds like tons of skull bashin’.”
“We know the Nukari are there,” Mencari said. “We just have to find them.”
Seigie continued her review of the world. “Says Argosy was so industry-heavy at one time, it damaged the planet’s environment. They have a permanent layer of smog around their world. They had to build new cities on platforms above the smog line.”
An indicator appeared on the navigation panel. “Our approach to Argosan space has been approved,” Mencari said.
* * * * *
“Is that a space elevator?” Mencari said in awe as their ship approached the massive dock. A flexible umbilical ran from the star dock down to the planet. “No Coalition world ever made one with success,” he said.
Guiding the ship into the bay, he heard the others undoing their harnesses.
The ship touched down. “Remember what we talked about,” he said, with a pointed look at Naijen. “Low profile. Find what we came here for and report back.”
A hiss escaped as the airlock door opened, followed by the scent of fresh air. It wasn’t just fresh, it smelled almost sweet; as though the group had emerged into a field of spring flowers, not an expansive, hanger-like space. A glittering emerald emblem shaped like a fractured arrowhead spanned almost half the length of the massive interior, with the words “Demassen Stellar Dock” underneath.
Mencari’s heart raced, confusing the emblem with the Nukari’s. It wasn’t identical, but its shape was similar to the silver-blue edges of his nemesis.
Looking around, he realized the facility resembled the Trading Post, with numerous ships and countless races moving about. Uniformed aliens, adorned with the arrowhead emblem, directed the masses of people in orderly channels. He noticed the same uniforms managing systems, and assisting with docking ships.
The crowds grew immense as they headed toward the space elevator, prepared for the festivities of “The Rising” festival. Colorful and sometimes outrageous outfits caught him by surprise, but also brought some relief; his own eclectic group wouldn’t stand out here.
An image of Toriko’s XoXo fox outfit ran through his mind. Her current uniform had changed her appearance to a tremendous degree. Perhaps the entire group should consider something more formal.
Following the directions of the uniformed staff, they entered the elevator. It was bigger inside than he expected and looked more industrial too. Stark metal walls were pocketed by inlaid lights.
Had he not seen the massive structure leading down to the planet, he wouldn’t have had any idea of the technical wonder they’d just stepped into.
Music trumpeted as the elevator began its descent. A recorded voice above them said, “Welcome to Argosy and the annual Rising Festival. As you exit, you’ll find yourself in our holy capitol, Demassen. Festival guides and city maps can be obtained in the booths just outside the elevator ring. Please enjoy your stay and have a wonderful Rising!”
Festive music replaced the too-cheery announcer as they continued their descent. Through the windows, they watched the spacedock fall away. When they began to pass through clouds, a clamor rose among those present.
His ears began to ring and his temples ached. It was a painfully familiar sensation, one he felt whenever he was near the Nukari.
The elevator slowed and bounced mildly before coming to a stop. Even with the doors closed, they could hear the noise of a boisterous crowd.
The din turned into a roar when the doors opened, accompanied by blinding sunlight as they stepped outside. The air was a bit thinner than they were used to, but clean and crisp. Clouds danced around the outer edges of the great platform that held the city high in the air. It was clear they were not on the planet’s surface, but rather on platforms high in the sky.
Buildings were adorned with colorful banners that waved in the constant breeze, and festivalgoers flowed through the streets in a living kaleidoscope of color and shapes. Food vendors, game booths, and theater stages served the constant river of people. Down the main boulevard, a parade of floats and stilt-walkers pushed their way through the crowd.
“What is that?”
He turned to see Allia pointing at a mountain of a structure adorned with towering crystal spires. It almost reminded Mencari of Seigie’s Bertoli Fortress back on the planet Aeun. A glittering emerald emblem, matching the one in the docks, sat like a crowning jewel above the massive structure’s main entryway.
From the top flowed the bluest water he’d ever seen. It cascaded down the side of the building and emptied into a crescent pool that cordoned off the main entryway, then flowed on into a river alongside the main boulevard before ending in a lighted whirlpool.
Chimes rang out, drawing his attention back to the heavy elevator doors behind them as they closed. Then the cart disappeared into the clouds above.
Vendors began shouting to them.
“First-timers? Get your Rising Festival program here! Maps, event schedule, the whole works!”
The sky above them began to change to an amber color as Seigie looked at Mencari and said, “Where do we start?”
Naijen wandered down the steps toward the crowd.
“Hey, hold on,” Mencari said. “We don’t want to get separated.”
The pain in his forehead began to throb. He cracked his neck trying to relieve the building pressure.
“Let’s use this spot as a meeting place,” Seigie said when Naijen came back. “If we get lost, we come back here.” She gave Naijen a less-than-friendly smile. “If he’s restless, don’t force him to stay close.”
Mencari gave a reluctant nod, and continued down the steps while Naijen chided, “Yeah, yeah.”
* * * * *
The stochastic grunts of men and women
drew Naijen’s attention. Drawn like a fly to honey, he found a booth where the two sexes wrestled. A massive Amazon-like woman dove at her opponents, grappled the two brawny men and lifted them high into the air. The crowd roared as she tossed them like twigs up and out of the ring. Naijen snorted, mildly amused but not impressed.
“Let’s keep moving,” Mencari called, as the others continued.
Naijen felt the bridge of his nose tighten, holding back a snarl. What was it with Mencari anyway, always bossing, always expecting he was just gonna fall in line? Well, that wasn’t how it was going to be. Naijen had only one reason to be with Mencari: to train. If he happened across something else of interest, he’d indulge as he wanted.
A surge of lightning out in space drew his attention to the sky. The colors above shifted from amber to reddish-brown, and a siren’s blare startled them all.
Now what? he thought, annoyed. It better not stop the wrestlin’ thing.
Despite the obvious warning, no one in the crowd seemed concerned. In fact, an exuberant roaring rolled across the partygoers. As the music thundered louder, a mania swept the crowd. He watched Mencari and the others get pushed back toward the vendor booths. Partiers who attempted to shove past him found an immovable mountain.
* * * * *
“What’s going on?” Allia snuggled up to Seigie, trying not to be carried away in the tides of people. She usually found her lack of height an advantage against foes. For the first time she felt closed in, claustrophobic, unable to see anything but the insufferably tall, costumed masses that towered above her. Perhaps sensing her fear, Ichini knelt down and coaxed her with a gentle nuzzle to hop on his back. As he stood, her fears lifted as she could see across the crowd again.
“That little siren means the party will last even longer,” a nearby vendor replied, and grinned. “You are first-timers right? My guide tells you everything you need to know. But I’ll tell you this for free. See the sky? Nebula storm. Unpredictable things. Could last hours or days, even weeks. Nobody’s going anywhere until it’s gone.”
A gentle shoosh rose from behind her. Looking back, she saw a group of dockworkers departing from one of the massive elevators.
“What do you mean, we can’t go anywhere?” Mencari asked.
“Nebula storm’s too dangerous. They’re shutting down the spacedock now. See?”
The man pointed as the last of the workers exited the lift. The door sealed closed and the lights around the lift darkened. A mightier roar rose from the crowd. Allia didn’t like the thought of being trapped in the city with Nukari possibly around. She could see the others of her group weren’t happy about it either.
“Lighten up,” the vendor said. “This is a party like no other. Enjoy yourself!”
The vendor turned his attention to Allia. “Say girlie, get your pops to buy a guide. Trust me. He’ll read it, and know exactly how to keep youz all occupied until the storm passes.”
Pops? She wasn’t sure how to react to that. This guy really thought she was Rhysus’s daughter? Is he blind?
“Rhysus, he says to get a guide,” she said, indignant.
“Probably better to get the latest information on the event,” Mencari said, pulling out the credit stick.
She saw a knowing look in the vendor’s eyes, as he looked at their payment method. “Ah, thought so. Definitely not from around here.”
When Mencari handed the credit stick back, the man looked across the group. “Only see sticks like that from our most distant visitors. Well, have fun at the festival!”
Mencari took for granted the universal payment methods. He didn’t think about how, despite being accepted by vendors, it could indicate their alien status.
“Thanks,” he said, starting his review of the brochure.
* * * * *
“Let’s move over there, give us some space from all these people,” Mencari said, pointing to an alcove off to the side as he led his group through the stream of people. There were indeed some fascinating locations. The “sky decks” around the festival were even more intriguing. It looked like there were other raised platforms in the sky the city was built upon. Bridges and lifts connected them together.
“Where did Naijen go?” Allia asked, causing Mencari to look up from the brochure.
Didn’t he follow? Mencari had assumed he stayed with the group as they were corralled toward the vendor. Nope, not here.
Allia pointed to a busy strip of people hooting. “Last time I saw him, he was over that way.”
What was the thick-skulled warrior getting himself into now? While Mencari appreciated Naijen’s abilities, his involvement as part of the team was sorely lacking. He’d have to talk with Osuto and figure out a way to get the brazen fellow under control.
“Let’s stay together. We don’t want to spend our time looking for each other,” he said.
They headed into the river of people, passed booths and carnival games. Two bodies flew across the air above them, and the cheering crowd scattered to avoid being hit by the living projectiles.
Mencari realized they were next to a sparring ring of some type, and drew the others closer. With the roped area, a mass of arms and legs grappled one another. Young and old alike wore elaborate costumes that ranged from jesters, to priests, to seductresses, to barbarians.
Or perhaps they aren’t costumes, he thought, the purpose for the celebration still unclear in his mind.
A man garbed in a brilliant-white robe sailed over the edge of the ropes. Rather than cheers, boos and angry screams came from the crowd this time. Allia tugged on Mencari’s shirt and pointed up to the ring, where Naijen stood, surrounded by a collection of white-robed and barbarically dressed fighters.
Despite being outnumbered, Naijen held his ground in various matches until two women in ornate white robes, and a male in dirty animal skins, swarmed the warrior and lobbed him from the ring. A resounding cheer rose from the crowd when he hit the ground hard; a few festivalgoers spat on him. Apparently too dazed to notice, he just groaned and pulled himself to his feet. Allia hopped off Ichini and ran to him, her loyal companion close behind.
“You okay?” she said.
“Yeah, a’course,” he snarled as he looked back at his ousters. The two women had now picked up the barbarian, ready to toss him out as well.
“Pulled a cheap move together, just like those Anto’liea did to Jerin,” he said, recalling his brother’s death while he rubbed the back of his neck.
“It’s called teamwork,” Mencari said.
“It’s called ain’t nothin’ by themselves. Gonna get my Skar—just over there.”
As Naijen rounded the corner of the ring, Mencari heard him yell, “Hey, ya thief!” and start pushing through the crowd. Mencari and the others followed. Naijen appeared to be in pursuit of a troll-like creature that was at least seven lengths ahead. People cursed and yelled as the warrior knocked them out of the way.
Mencari yelled, “What’s going on?”
“Little imp took ma Skar, tha’s what!”
* * * * *
“Gonna tear you up!” Naijen roared.
Whatever that creature was, it was fast; despite losing sight of it, the trail of people getting shoved aside was an easy indicator of where it was headed. Breaching the crowd, Naijen came to an outer wall where the beast sat, squealing in agony.
An evil grin crossed Naijen’s mug; the thief must have triggered one of the many protections the Skar had built in. Thin, barbed blades still stuck deep in its leg, which was gushing blood.
He jerked the Skar from the creature’s leg, causing it to shriek when flesh ripped further. It couldn’t even talk. Its terrified eyes pleaded for mercy.
“Naijen, no, you got it back!” Allia yelled, catching up. “Don’t hurt him!”
The warrior looked the whelp’s way for a moment, just long enough for the creature to scramble away, leaving a trail of blood.
With an angry grunt he started after the thief, when he heard Mencari call ou
t, “Leave him! You have the Skar—it’s done.”
He saw the trail getting stomped into the dirt by the patrons that flooded by. “Already got a taste of the Skar’s bite I suppose,” he said with a snarl.
“You have everything now?” Mencari said.
Naijen just snorted in response.
“We have to stay together.”
“I want some action!”
Mencari ignored Naijen, saying, “With that storm, we’ve got time to look around.”
The pansy little leader wasn’t gettin’ it. Worse, yet, was he deaf too? Maybe he needed some reminding of why the warrior was there.
“Don’t wanna look, wanna fight!”
“Remember, teamwork? We’ll get there. The Nukari are here somewhere,” Mencari said sternly.
Naijen grunted harder. Waiting, it was always waiting. Well, sometime soon he was gonna be done waiting.
Seigie pulled out the map. “There’s a way to another sky shelf over there. Maybe some of the other areas are more likely places for the Nukari. They couldn’t want to be around an event this high-profile.”
“You go, I’m gonna look more around here,” Naijen said.
“We stay together,” Mencari said, annoyed.
“Find skulls to crack, then ya get me,” Naijen said, walking away.
* * * * *
“Hey!” Mencari yelled. “Naijen!”
He felt a stony hand on his shoulder that stifled him. “Let him go,” Seigie said.
“I’ll keep an eye on him.” Allia bounded off with Ichini. Mencari’s mouth gaped to stop her, but in moments she was swallowed in the crowd.
He sighed, then winced in pain, rubbing his temples. There were times he would rather endure torture than these migraines.
“I don’t like this,” he said.
“You can’t control him,” Seigie said. “Besides, Allia will keep tabs on him.”
D'mok Revival: The Nukari Invasion Anthology Page 37
