Chapter 42. Naked, again.
The Administrator stood before me, confidence on full display. Elation practically dripped from her pores as she basked in her victory. I still couldn’t put it together though, why was she doing this? I know that I am some piece on the chessboard for the Coeus but am I really so important that a ranking member of their society would need me? Not only need me but go out of her way to meet me and convince me to cut corners in a place that was created specifically to test the participants ability to overcome challenges on a level never seen by a member of the human race?
My mind was racing but there was no going back now. I turned to see Kaj and Sherlock approaching as I stood back to me feet. Another defeat, another opportunity for the Coeus and the senior powers in the universe to prove just how helpless I really am. This feeling of helplessness was starting to get really old.
I turned back to the Administrator as Kaj and Sherlock joined me on either side. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of cold winter air. The air rushed into my lungs and I held it until I could feel my lungs burning before slowly exhaling and opening my eyes to see her standing, hand still on the hilt of her sword as if her show of outrageous power wasn’t enough to dissuade me from any attempt at violence.
“What now?” I asked. As much as I wanted to it was impossible for me to hide the defeat in my voice. I was not only being forced to take on unknown challenges and risk my life, but I was also once again being forced to do it in a way that raised the stakes tremendously.
“Now you say your goodbyes. There will be no time for preparation I’m afraid,” The administrator raised her right hand, palm up as she spoke. An arched portal identical to the one I used at the end of the first floor materialized behind her. The center of the arch was filled with the same shimmering obsidian substance and seemed to writhe within the confines of the arch.
I turned to Kaj, “I will need you, Kaj. Be patient I will find you as soon as possible.”
“You must protect yourself, Captain. I have done what I can to prepare you, now it is up to you. Do not make rash decisions, prioritize self-preservation over everything. You speak of patience, now it is time for you to practice patience as well. We will be waiting for you. Do not rush, do not put the mission in jeopardy.”
I looked down as he spoke, “I’m sorry about all this, Kaj.”
“Sorry? Why are you sorry, Captain? You are my sworn brother. I chose to bind myself to you, I chose to follow you, I chose to train you. You have honor Andrew Dawes. I will not regret the decisions I made willingly; I will instead embrace them. I have no regret, I hold no malice toward you, you are my leader because I chose you to be my leader. Now, I need you to accept that your friends, your crew, have chosen you to lead them. Your planet and species are depending on you to save them. It is a thankless task that you have been given, but it is a task that must be completed, nonetheless. I will see you on the other side, Captain. Until then,” Kaj looks at the Administrator, “Do me a favor and try to wipe the grin off this bitches face.”
With those words Kaj’s projection flickered out. I turned to Sherlock, “Any words of wisdom?”
Sherlock tilts his head and stares at me, “Don’t die. If you die, I die and I’m rather enjoying living. When you find me, I will be ready to help you chop the head off this infernal monster,” Sherlock turned to walk away before stopping and looking back over his shoulder, “Oh, and don’t dally. I’ve been watching Downton Abby during our downtime and I’m afraid I’ve become rather addicted. I would hate to think that I don’t get to finish it.”
Then he was gone as well. Sherlock is an asshole, but he is starting to grow on me. I turned back to the Administrator who was now standing beside the archway.
“If this is a trick…If somehow this backfires I need you to understand something,” I turned to stand directly in front of her, looking up into those purple eyes. “I will do everything in my power to kill you. Not today, not tomorrow but there will be a day in the future when you have become fat with power, and you have forgotten about the little human you used to advance your plans. You will be comfortable and warm in your home, maybe surrounded by family. That is when I will come for you. I will steal your joy and burn your comfort before I bury my blade in your beating heart. You will die looking in my eyes and you will know then that you shouldn’t have fucked with Captain Andrew Dawes.”
She doesn’t speak and I don’t give her time. I walk past her standing there in the snow and cutting wind and disappear into the alien archway. The world twists, my stomach churns as a feeling of weightlessness hit me then, right before I vomit all over myself my world goes black.
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Pain pulses through my body as a dry moan escapes from my lips. My ears are ringing and tight with pressure. The transition through this portal was several times more intense than the others. I’m lying on the ground body splayed against what feels like cold, wet stone. I try to open my eyes to get a sense of where I am, but they are crusted with mucus and burn as they open. I sit up and try cleaning the gunk from my eyes, rubbing them to try and regain my sense of sight.
“Ugh…what the….ullp,” the nausea hits fast and is overwhelming. I get to all fours and begin wretching violently, my stomach emptying its contents on the ground beneath me. On the plus side this causes my eyes to water and helps flush some of the gunk from them allowing me to finally get a glimpse of my surroundings. I am in a city? Not an Earth city, not a dead city with no electricity. This isn’t Earth, it can’t be. The orbs knocked out power to every city on Earth years ago. No, this isn’t Earth I confirm as I look up to see towering building bursting into the dark sky as far as I can see. The buildings are monoliths of engineering the likes I have never seen. Black glass exteriors with beautiful metallic trim, neon accent lighting in all colors.
Augmented reality advertisements play on the surface of the building directly in front of me. An alien child of a species that I am not familiar with chases a butterfly through a meadow of thigh high green grass, laughing and jumping as he plays. The sun is bright in the sky, and the grass sways in the wind as he runs. When the boy catches the butterfly, the camera zooms in to show his face is now twisted and maniacal, he holds the butterfly in his hand as it slowly flaps its wings and walks along the palm of his hand. Then the boy crushes the butterfly in his palm before holding the dirty hand to his head in a salute.
“Being a child is no excuse for weakness! All Glory to the universal council!” he shouts as the camera zooms out to show that he is now standing in an organized military formation with other children his age, now all dressed in military uniforms and marching in unison across what seems to be some sort of military school campus. The screen goes black and is replaced by bold white text that reads:
All MUST SERVE!
GLORY CAN ONLY BE ATTAINED THROUGH STRENGTH!
STRENGTH CAN ONLY BE ATTAINED BY ERRADICATING WEAKNESS!
MAY THE COUNCIL BE OUR GUIDE!
**This message brought to you be the U.C.M.F – Glory to the Council.
“Wha…” My mouth froze as my mind tried to consolidate what I had just seen, “What the hell was that?!”
It was obviously pro-council propaganda and it was one of the most disturbing things I’ve ever seen. I stood up and tried to gather my senses and get back to the task of figuring out where I am only to look down and realize that once again I was naked.
“Oh what the… this is just bullshit!” I said as I assumed the all too familiar position of covering my groin with my hands. I look up to see a couple walking down the street. I am not sure what race they are but they look similar to the Administrator with some minor differences. Different colored eyes to start. These people have deep amber eyes that almost glow in the darkness. The male has onyx black hair and the female has crimson red hair, both have designer hairstyles. The male is wearing a charcoal grey suit with a knee length jacket and high collar, his white shirt is open to the bottom of his chest showing distinct intricate tattoos. The woman wears a flowing white dress that seems to almost be glued to her toned figure. Her shoes at first flance seem to be an aggressive stiletto but I am not familiar with the material. With every step a flourish of color bursts through the material of each shoe. The couple stares at me before clasping hands and hurriedly trotting away from me.
“Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?” I reach toward them to ask for help before realizing I have uncovered my private parts on accident. I sigh in frustration and decide to make my way toward a nearby alley to escape curious onlookers. I’m not sure where I am but based on the advanced engineering and appearance of a functioning society, I am sure that there will be some sort of police presence. I cannot afford to alert the local authorities before I can get my bearings. I need to figure out where I am, get access to supplies and start figuring out how to find and free my crew. First things first, find some damn clothes.
“Yer not from round here are ya, brud,” the voice comes from behind me as I back into the dark alley, “Ye canna be floppin round wit yer bits and pieces flappin in the breeze. Whas a meatbag sorts of ye doin bare balled in the streets of the capital?” the voice asks as a piece of cold metal pushes into my back between my shoulders.
“Whoah! I don’t want any trouble!” I say as I put my hands up.
“Cover that cock brud. Nobody wan see yer pipe flappin round, hear? I’m bout to hit ya with a query. If you come correct I’ll nah be likely to give you another hole. Ya say somethin I ain’t wanting to hear, well there aint an easy way to say it. The total number o’ holes on that weird pale body o’ yers goes up by one.”
I return my hands to my groin and breathe slowly, “Ask your question then.”
The cold metal presses deeper into my tender flesh and I wince.
“Do the Council be your guide?” the voice asks.
The question lands like a ton of bricks. What is the right answer? Why is he asking this? What if I answer wrong? This whole situation is escalating out of my control. I have things to do, I need to save my crew and instead I am getting held up in an alley not 5 minutes after waking up in this city.
Breath Andrew, just breathe- I think to myself as the old mantra calms me enough to choke out a response.
“The council can get fucked.” I say as I flex every muscle in my body, close my eyes tight against the impending pain and prepare for the results of my answer.
“Hah,” the man gives me a curious chuckle before pressing the metal deeper into my already bruising flesh.
I hear a click followed by a stinging pain between my shoulders and everything goes black.