The lights went out and even the swirling clouds of darkness above disappeared. They were all blind as bats.
"Hello Jack."
"Hey there, Zenbot."
The two masters stood in front of each other on top of the ridge. A breeze waffled between them, ruffling their clothes and the straw hanging out of Jack's mouth. Bubbles of dark and light swept in beneath the third gate and carpeted the ground between them.
"You still got the sword I gave you?" Jack asked. His eyes unwavering. He stared straight into Zenbot's red eye slits.
"I don't as you can see." Zenbot raised its arm.
"You lost your leg as well." Jack sucked his teeth. "Doesn't look like it's your lucky day, does it Zenbot?"
"There's no such thing."
"Yeah, yeah. I remember trying to teach you that you were wrong. The whole 'verse runs on luck but… always were a numbers thing, weren't you." Jack drummed his fingers on the sheath of his sword. "How are we going to have a showdown without two swords? You don't want to duel with a gun do you?"
Zenbot shook its head.
"I didn't think so. Hand-to-hand?"
Zenbot nodded.
"Alright then. What about our seconds? Are these your two students?"
"I ain't no part of this." VII was up against the gate, crouching in the corner, making herself small and unseen.
"I am Zenbot's student and second." Freedman stood behind his master.
"Excellent. Loveless, you good to second me?"
Loveless nodded, and stood behind Jack.
"Freedman," Zenbot whispered to its pupil, "don't worry. I'll make sure nothing happens to you. What's important is that we act with honor."
"Loveless," Jack whispered, "Kick him in the balls, cheat and win."
"Calm down girls. Calm down. The blindness will pass. Don't move. Hold on to me. Not that arm please. If you go moving around you'll fall through. You don't want to fall through. It'll last only a few minutes and then you'll be right as rain. Just hold on. Oh Shens, who's that? Who's fallen through? Who's that hanging onto my arm?"
Mancy had fallen through the ground and was suspended in the inky darkness, holding on for dear life from Mr. Qruise's injured arm. "It's me, pull me up. Pull me up."
"It's alright, Mancy. The ground'll come back and you won't fall no more. I can see the light returning. It's alright. You're safe now. You're safe now. It's over. We've got ten minutes or so till the next one." The dim chamber returned to view. Mancy was sprawled on the ground next to Mr. Qruise, sweating with fear. Captain Pippy's braided hair was frayed and wild. Mr. Qruise fished around in his pocket again and pulled out the vape. He puffed away at it and the smoke rose up into the air as it should. "That's more like it. I hate it when it does that bubbly stuff. So what's the plan?" He looked at Mancy.
"Give me a minute." She was still shivering and pale as death.
"Alright hon'." Captain Pippy worked on her braids. "Ya can take your time. And you Qruise, ya puff away. I take back my words, mustta been hell for ya. But I gotta say, you're aw-ful-ly calm. Zenbot thought ya'd be a gibbering mess. What gives?"
Mr. Qruise shrugged his shoulders, puffing away. "When I was trapped in here, I was kind of.. kind of… the shepherd for the others. I'm dying in inside, but when I'm in here, I've learnt not to show it. For the others." He pointed the vape at Mancy whose sweating frightened face gleamed in the dark.
"How long were ya trapped in this hell hole?" Captain Pippy asked.
"Time's a tricky thing inside these things. You don't get hungry, thirsty…. You just keep going. I must have been inside for weeks but…."
"Weeks! Shens. But…?"
"But when I came out, a couple of centuries and a bit had passed." Mr. Qruise took a long drag.
Captain Pippy's eyebrows shot up. "How many people were with you on the ship again?"
Mr. Qruise looked up at the sky, holding in his dewy eyes. His voice, when he answered, was gravelly. "Three hundred and twenty eight souls, Captain. Three hundred and twenty eight, not counting me."
"They all died?" Captain Pippy put an arm around Mr. Qruise.
"Man, woman and child. All shapes and sizes. We all bumbled around in the dark. I always thought of myself as an unlucky person before that, but people I could have sworn were lucky pigs in life were taken first. Swallowed up by the darkness." Mr. Qruise paused and peered out into the inky black. "For some reason the earth never gave way beneath me. I guess there should be a saying, 'unlucky in life, lucky in a black hole'. Hah," he laughed "I just say we get moving to wherever the hell we're supposed to go. Time's likely to kill us if we stay here too long." Mr. Qruise got up.
"Poor hon'." Captain Pippy grimaced and helped Mancy to her feet. "Time to get up and get going. There you get up now."
Mancy finally stood but she was still weak and shivering. She looked at Mr. Qruise as if to say something but stopped. She patted herself down and stood up straight. "The vault's at the center of this thing. The gate's over there so we just walk straight away from it and we should hit the vault. Is there…is there ground out there?" She tipped her head out. She couldn't tell if there was any ground to step on.
"Only one way to find out, Mancy." Mr. Qruise placed a foot gingerly in front of him and took a step forward. "Watch your step girls. Ackh, I forgot how hard it is too see in this thing." He kicked something with his feet.
He bent over and fumbled for whatever he'd kicked. It was Zenbot's sword. Mr. Qruise unsheathed it and the light from the laser saber cast a grateful light in the darkness.
"It looks like the master's looking out for us even in here. Remind me to thank the bucket of bolts when we get out."
Zenbot and Jack were at it in a flurry of hand-to-hand combat. Despite its one leg, Zenbot was able to deflect most of the attacks Jack threw at it. Zenbot used the gun-crutch to swivel about in place, and occasionally as a cane to strike at Jack from a distance.
Freedman squared up with Loveless. "Just so you know, master's taught me in the ways of the martial arts. It may not be a fair fight."
Loveless smiled back at him. "You're right about that, you see I have a gun." She pulled a pistol from her waist and pointed it at Freedman. "They tell me you're a lucky guy, Freedman. What's it going to be that saves you? The clip will be empty, it'll misfire, or lock up. What do you think it's going to be?"
"I don't think I'm that lucky…Loveless, right?"
"Yup. And you're Freedman. So we're all introduced. Any last words? Your master's not going to be able to save you." She looked over to Zenbot who was being pummeled by Jack. "I'm sure you're thinking you can get out of this some way. Something's going to save you. But it wo-" A shot rang out and struck the gun out of Loveless's hand. Zenbot and Jack froze mid fight. Everyone stared at the shooter.
VII was still in the corner of the door, shaking with fear, the rifle sat leveled in her hand towards Loveless.
"Great shot, VII." Freedman wore a smile across his face the size of the sun.
"I…I…I was aiming for her head." VII shivered.
Jack looked over to Zenbot. "Should we continue without weapons then?"
Another shot rang out. VII stood up, leaning on the gate. "Screw that. Zenbot, Freedman we're getting out of here. None of you's other two make a move. I…I won't miss next time."
Zenbot straightened its back. "I cannot leave the gate unguarded, VII. You know this."
"What happened to your word is your bond?"
Zenbot looked at its feet for a while, torn between two competing obligations. "Ok."
"Ok? That's it? We're getting out of this mess. Let's go then." VII shuffled off the ridge, her rifle aimed at Jack and Loveless.
"I'll stay and guard the gate master." Freedman looked at his master expectantly.
"Freedman."
"Yes, master?"
"Don't be a fool. " Zenbot shuffled after VII.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The Swirling Dark
Mancy held onto Captain Pipp
y's hand. The Captain in turn held onto Mr. Qruise's sling as he led the way through the darkness, taking confident steps in the chamber with the laser saber in his hand.
"Amazing what this thing can do, ay?" He shouted back, waving the sword in the air. It left a red afterimage in their eyes. "It even makes the sound." He waved it again. Whoosh, whoosh. A strand of his hair caught in the sword's wake and frizzled. Mr. Qruise patted away at his hair frantically. "Sorry."
Captain Pippy groped with both her hands to hold onto Mr. Qruise.
Mancy lost sight of the sword light. She searched in the dark with her hand for Captain Pippy. "Hello…Helloooo…." She shouted in the dark. The air sucked up her words.
"Hellooooo… This isn't funny. Captain Pippy, Mr. Qruise. You coward." She screamed.
Mancy placed her foot in front of her, feeling the ground. When she was satisfied that it was still there, she stepped forward.
The spheres of light appeared again and she sat on the ground and began to sob. "Daddy…" were the last words out of her mouth before she disappeared.
Zenbot hobbled quickly past the second gate. Freedman and VII were gasping for breath, trying to keep the same pace.
"Slow down, slow down please." VII panted. "I'm not as fast as you."
"I'm sorry VII. Can't have everything your way. You want me to escort you back, it's at my pace."
Zenbot walked through the eerily empty base and towards the central exit.
"How could we have lost her?" Mr. Qruise and Captain Pippy walked arm in arm in the dark. Captain Pippy felt with her free hand out in the darkness. Grasping for something hard to catch. Can you feel anything, Captain?"
"I can't feel nothing, hon'. Are we still on the right way, ya'think? We left the door a ways back? Oh, it's happening again. Hold on to me Qruise. I hate this part." As she spoke the dark bubbles of her breath dropped to the ground. "I hope Ms. La2x is alright out there all on her own'some."
"I'd be more worried about us. Here come the fireworks."
"You were right Qruise. You do learn to hate those things. That's been what, the third light show since we lost Mancy. You must think I'm an idjiot caring about that lady, but she's one of us, ain't she?"
"She put a bomb in my brain, Captain."
"She didn't pull the trigger did she? Don't be such a sourpuss now."
"Hold on tight, the blindness is coming on." Mr. Qruise sheathed the laser-saber. "Don't want to cut a limb by accident."
"I can't tell anymore, hon'. Can't make heads or tails of it. This Shen blasted dark keeps on getting …. Darker? Thicker? I don't rightly know how to describe it but I can't see nothing no more, during the bad times or the…less bad times."
"I think we're getting closer to the vault. It was the same the first time around, for me at least. Before I got out on the other side, it just kept getting worse and worse. We're close I'm sure of it. I just don't know what we're looking for. Mancy never told me what I was supposed to get from inside the vault."
"You still haven't figured it out?"
"You have?"
"Yeah, and VII before me. And I'm right sure Zenny figured it a whole while back. It ain't so tough if ya just think about it."
Mr. Qruise walked straight into the vault, his head making an audible 'thwap' sound on the metal wall.
Mancy was trussed up and laid on her stomach, her legs tied to her arms from behind. Her mouth was covered in tape. Her screams for help were muffled, but would not have carried far in the thick dark anyway.
Her captor stood over her, clad in black, invisible and whispered in Mancy's ear. "Your friends are down there, Ms. La2x. You should hear them. They're really worried about you. They should know better. Your father would never let anything happen to his precious daughter. No matter what she's up to. They're going around and around in circles. There's no point. There's no door. When do you think they'll figure it out? Your strange friend's got to decide to pop some time. I'll meet him then." She winked at Mancy, but Mancy could see nothing. "Where are my manners? Smirtya, I work for your father."
Smirtya extended a hand to Mancy and then laughed. "Sorry forgot. I'll shake your hands later." She peered over the edge of the vault and saw faintly, five meters beneath her, the shadowy forms of Captain Pippy and Mr. Qruise as they traced the limits of the vault.
"Do you know why your father controls all the iridium mines?" Smirtya asked returning from the edge. She kneeled over and knocked on top of the vault. It gave back a dull metallic thud. "It doesn't fall through when everything else does. When the black hole goes funny iridium doesn't."
The only thing Mancy could see were Smirtya's bright white canines.
"That's the third time we've gone a'round an' a'round Qruise. It's time we face facts. You gotta pop, boy. It's why Ms. La2x brought yer yellow belly."
"Let's check one more time before we try that, Captain. The dimensions in here, they're wonky. You can go around this thing six times before the door appears, or the lock or whatever."
"Qruise." Captain Pippy stopped in her tracks, her arm locked in his. "The mo' time passes the less likely Ms. La2x'll survive, or me damn it. Just do it man."
Mr. Qruise sat down, defeated. "Alright. Alright! I'll do it after the next cycle. You'll… what are you going to do if I'm not with you?" He took out his vape.
"I'll have ten minutes and I'm sho' I'll be fine. You'll be back before then wonch'ya?"
"Sure, Captain. Sure. We move after the next wave. Hold on till then. Do you want a puff?" Mr. Qruise handed her the vape.
"Nah, that stuff's bad for ya'health."
"Captain. If you could see me now you'd see that my eyebrows are raised sardonic like. Chances are once I pop, I'll pop straight into a wall, or the mouth of some horrible animal only the La2x's could imagine. Health, I've found, is a very relative word."
Captain Pippy took the vape and puffed at it. She coughed once and then smoked through the irritation in her throat. "Shen'amn it, that's horrible."
"Pretty much. Here comes the blindness. Pass me the vape will you."
"I am. It's in front of yer face, ya yellow belly."
"Oh." Mr. Qruise felt the Captain's arm and followed it blindly up to her hand, he fumbled the vape and it fell. "Damn! I didn't hear it drop. Oh."
"Oh?"
"I think the sword's gone as well."
Captain Pippy couldn't see Mr. Qruise shake his head. "Ya damn fool."
Mr. Qruise couldn't see her arms shoot out in the dark blindly, wanting to choke him. But they ended up holding onto his arm as the ground gave way.
"There, there, Captain. It's alright. I guess they're gone forever now. I've always wondered where the things go." The light filtered into the air again and Mr. Qruise frowned at the empty ground. "I was hoping one of them would still be there." He closed his eyes. "Are you ready, Captain?"
"I am. And Qruise…."
"Yeah?"
"You can call me Pippy."
"See you on the other side, Pippy." Mr. Qruise squeezed her hand. He raised his fingers and snapped them.
Mr. Qruise manifested back in the dark chamber. He searched around frantically, arms extended, grasping at the air. "Pippy! Pippy!? Answer me!"
A voice answered from the darkness. "Don't worry, Mr. Qruise. She's quite safe. Quite safe. I've got her and Ms. La2x on top of the vault." Smirtya emerged clad in black. Her eyes twinkled menacingly.
"Who the heck are you lady? I can't take any more surprises." Mr. Qruise fished around in his pockets for his vape. "Damn, you wouldn't have a vape stick would you? I don't like surprises and the smoke calms my nerves."
"Sorry, Mr. Qruise. I don't smoke. You can call me Smirtya. I work for Mr. La2x but you should have guessed that already, I hope. No need to worry I'm not going to harm them. So long as you don't go 'pop'."
"All I got to do is not go pop and you'll let them go. Sure, no problem. Where's the problem? You think I want to? So me, and the rest get to go free?" Mr. Qruise looked at her hopefully.
/>
Smirtya cocked her head. "I like your practicality. You're almost correct. Everyone can go free, except you and Zenbot. Mr. La2x has something else in store for you two."
"I knew it." He hung his head. "There's always a catch. Spit it out."
Smirtya stepped closer. Her lithe form becoming more defined in the dark. "You and Zenbot'll be in the employ of Mr. La2x, as I am."
"Me being strange, I'm guessing." Mr. Qruise could see Smirtya nodding. "And Zenbot?"
"Zenbot will return to the employ of Mr. La2x as a killing machine."
Mr. Qruise shook his head. "Impossible. Zenbot doesn't kill."
"It will or it, and its family, will be destroyed." Smirtya bared her teeth. White canines glistened in the dark.
"Zenbot won't do it. I know it."
"Then Zenbot dies." Smirtya disappeared and appeared behind Mr. Qruise holding a dagger to his back. "Do we have a problem?"
"You're just gonna go and leave me here? It's suicide Zenbot." VII shouted from the Heister. "I barely saved your hide last time."
Zenbot stood inside the Heister's mess with Freedman by his side. Their ship was the last one in the parking lot. Everyone else had left Qamar. "Thank you for that, VII. I've brought you back safely to the ship. My obligation is discharged. I go back now for my…." it paused, "friends." The inorganic searched the mess frantically, then its eye slits lit up a bright blue.
"Mancy ain't no friend of your's." VII spat out.
Zenbot ripped out one of the legs of the mess table and stuck it where the rest of its missing leg should have been. "It fits." Pass me that solder, will you, Freedman.
"Let me do it, master." Freedman knelt in front of Zenbot and began soldering the table leg to the inorganic's knee joint.
"Mancy is not the only one in trouble, VII." Zenbot said. "I'll see you later."
"That coward would never do the same for you. And you Freedman, any point in asking you, or are you still your master's pet?"
The Pink Heist Page 18
