As the fifth ship filled up and elevated, leaving the colosseum a massive ship the size of the city cut through the clouds. Before the human ship could gain enough speed to leave the airspace surrounding the colosseum the alien ship rams into it sending the massive yet tiny in comparison machine tumbling down towards the colosseum wall. The ship crashes into the stands destroying part of the colosseum and engulfing part of it in flames as people desperately try to get out. People around the circle begin to panic as the realization that they’re trapped dawns on them. Some scatter and run towards the direction of the crashed ship to try to escape through the ruins. As more people break formation, Minerau that had previously retreated towards the exits begin regrouping feeling that the tide had turned in their favor. From the alien ship more Minerau begin dropping down like small asteroids into the colosseum.
Razzo yells after the scattering people: “STOP COME BACK WE HAVE TO HOLD FORMATION!”
But it’s to no avail as people continue to scatter like hopeless chickens in a slaughterhouse. Before long the regrouped Minerau begin their push with their replenished numbers, eliminating both slaves and warriors in their path. With all hope beginning to be lost as people run aimlessly into the teeth of the enemy without a way out. A few moments pass as the circle around Razzo diminishes significantly but some bittersweet news is that most of the slaves escaped although they will now most likely get hunted down and end up right where they started or dead. A giant Minerau drops down from the ship. This Minerau is much bigger than the soldiers around him and they make way for their supposed leader. The Minerau doesn’t even unsheathe a weapon and uses the cloak on its back to deflect strikes while dealing killer blows from single strikes. The Minerau moves with precision and an evasive fluidity that’s unlike what many of the other Minerau. As the Minerau leader takes out more humans the circle that’s holding back the rest grows tiny and feeling significant pressure from all around as the Minerau soldiers continue to put pressure on them causing them to back up to the hill that they dug out. Razzo leaves Izabela and Dre in the circle and steps to the outer edge of the circle to help the fighters that are left holding off the rocky beings. This time Razzo conjures a massive twelve foot energy pole and swings it around to keep the Minerau at a distance. It works for a bit but the Minerau begin to time his swings and edge closer to the humans. He swings the pole to the right, the Minerau counter by quickly moving in with the fighters to the left. Then as Razzo counters to the left and takes out a few Minerau slicing them in half that leaves his right side exposed. Razzo keeps up this charade for about half an hour until he is the only one left to oppose the Minerau horde. The rest of the people either fled successfully or were unfortunate enough to feel the brunt force of the Minerau. All the sudden out of the atmosphere three objects come flying out. At first they look like meteors but as they come closer they’re able to make them out as three smaller ships, one of the ships darts ahead and goes head on towards the Minerau ship in the sky. It shoots out an energy beam from the bottom of its ship towards the front of the massive alien vessel in the sky then after a couple quick maneuvers around the enemy aircraft the unknown ship entangles the Minerau ship all over in a type of energy bind restricting its movement.
Dre walks up to Razzo: “This might be our lucky break. I'm going to signal to one of the ships to pick us up”.
Razzo hesitates while Dre uses its palm to signal “Wait, we don't even know who they are or why they’re here” - says Razzo uneasy.
“Do you want to keep dealing with all of them instead or take your chances with the nice strangers?” - asks Dre as he continues to signal to the ships.
At this point Razzo is essentially surrounded by the alien savages and just trying to keep them at bay from Dre and Izabela without much of an escape plan. The dug up hill of dirt and sand behind them provides a barrier from them and the Minerau on the other side although some begin to climb the hill to surround the remaining humans and Dre.
One of the ships swoops down and lands right on top of the Minerau that are in front of Razzo and Dre. The slide door on the side of the ship opens up and three Automatons step out in advanced armor and energy chains.
“Come with us if you wish to live”. - one of them tells the three remaining survivors.
Razzo whispers to Dre: “I guess it’s time for you to vouch for me now”.
“What are you talking about, do these trash bins look anything like me? For all I know these Automatons have been possessed by some sort of space parasite or wizard but they aren’t like anything I’ve ever seen before”. - exclaims Dre in a quiet voice.
Razzo goes back to the lying Izabela and picks her up carefully carrying her with him into the ship with Dre following behind him. As the doors closes the Minerau try to chase after them to enter the ship but get blasted by the ships cannons. Meanwhile the third small ship goes and picks up several Minerau except Razzo gets one quick glance at how they do it. The various alien crew members on that ship utilize the energy chains to restrain them. The slide door closes behind Razzo and he looks around the main area of the ship that at the time is dark with blue lights lighting up the floor of the ship showing various pathways throughout the ship.
One of the robots tells the three of them: “Come with me I’ll show you where you will be staying…”
Razzo carries Izabela and Dre follows them closely behind throughout the ship. The group feels a slight shake and jolt and the ship stabilizes itself and takes off. They move throughout the back of the ship until they get to the back of it where the blue lights end and all that is visible is the energy chain of the Automaton. The Automaton pulls a lever on the right and opens up a dark pathway.
Razzo stops: “What’s in there I can’t see where I’m going can you get me some light or maybe a better room? I know I’m not in a place to ask for more but I was wondering if there was anywhere more cozy?”
The Automaton raises its energy chain and says: “Quit your whining, get in there”.
“What my companion means is this isn’t a suitable habitat for humans”. - intelligently says Dre to the fellow Automaton
“Well since its your companion you must be defective too because we don’t like their kind”. - the Automaton says grudgingly
The Automaton uncoils a bit of the energy chain and whips it at Razzo’s back and shocks him, sending him to his knees and into the room while dropping Izabela on the way down. The Automaton grabs Dre by the one arm and flings the robot in after Razzo.
“I guess both of yer will be suffering then” - chuckles the being.
The Automaton then pulls the lever closing a plasma door behind them. After which the robot flips a switch and proceeds to leave to go elsewhere on the ship. The dark room illuminates itself as well as the other rooms around it as Dre and Razzo are taken aback by all the different creatures that are being held there. It’s like a zoo for exotic pets and just as those exotic pets look miserable in those zoos, the creatures here also look miserable in their cages. There were living beings being held captive from all the known galaxies, from Zenvas, to Froklins, to Wok-Woks all being held in various transparent transport rooms with energy doors. Razzo helps lean Izabela carefully against the wall of the cell and goes up to the plasma door that they got shoved through. Razzo charges up his fist and throws a punch at the door hoping to disable it.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Dre says: “It’s pointless to exert yourself no matter how much energy you may have. The plasma doors are meant to reflect anything thrown or hurled at them like a mirror, no matter how much strength is put behind it. The only way the door stops working is if the ship's power short circuits it or if someone opens the door”.
“I can’t just give up and stop trying to get us out of here, look at all the creatures in here, what do you think they’ll do to us?” - says the human in a panicked tone.
Dre says: “If I were to take a wild guess, based on the hospitality that the Automaton provided us and the fact that we’re now sitting in an energy cage I would have to guess that this ship is some kind of slave trade ship that we’re on”.
“But your friend said that if we want to live to come with them, we would be saved”. - says Razzo stumped by the response
Dre rolls its eyes: “As you can see even Automatons lie to their benefit, even then they didn’t say we would be free but live and survive. So I mean technically we weren’t even lied to, just not told the whole story for our purpose on this wretched ship”.
Razzo goes to sit down next to Dre and take a look at all the creatures around. In the cell next door a being grunts and says something in its native tongue.
Razzo nudges Dre: “Do you know what it’s talking about?”
“Not with you talking in my ear, move, let me see what they’re saying”.
Dre moves closer to the edge of the cage so that it could hear what the being was saying. The being continues to grunt away about something in its native tongue. Dre replies with a few grunts, and Razzo is taken aback at this moment due to the level of disbelief from Dre being able to speak the same language as this creature.
Razzo asks: “So what is he saying?”
“Put on Izabela’s helmet and I’ll program all the languages that I know so that you don’t have to bother me with your unnecessary questions anymore”.
“Wait what if she suffocates without oxygen?” - asks Razzo.
“If there was a lack of oxygen she would have already been dead, now stop being an idiot and put the helmet on” - replies the robot.
Razzo whispers: “Kind of rude but I accept…”
Razzo goes over and grabs Izabelas helmet, as he’s putting it on he whispers to her: “Sorry I sorta need your helmet I’ll give it back to you when you start feeling better okay?”
She doesn’t reply as she’s unconscious and unable to communicate.
“I’ll take that as a yes”. - doubles down Razzo.
Dre rolls its eyes: “Why even ask her anything if she's unconscious?”
Razzo waves off the robot: “Because it’s the right thing to do”.
Izabela continues to be silent in her diminished state. Razzo puts the helmet on and Dre goes behind him and puts its arm onto the helmet and connects to the helmet. Dre then adds all the languages that it knows and the helmet begins to actively translate what the being in the cage next to them is talking about.
Razzo says to the being and the helmet translates: “What species are you?”
The being looks over at him to get a better look at who’s talking to him. It is an upright being similar in size to humans except it has 4 arms and is completely furry all over with three tusks coming out of its mouth like an overbite.
The being speaks: “I am an Urug, we are from the Barnard’s Star System”.
“What’s your name?”
“My name is Ostikous the first. I am part of the royal lineage of the Urugs” - says the Urug proudly
“I guess that it's interesting to know Ostikous but what do you know about this ship?” - asks Razzo.
Ostikous doesn’t reply or say anything. Razzo looks over at Dre confusedly but Dre simply facepalms its head.
“Were you never taught how to speak with royalty? You don’t just brush off the fact that he told you he’s part of the royal lineage, humans are so arrogant, I’m surprised your species survived so long”. - says Dre giving Razzo a lesson
“Well I never met royalty in my life and not all of us can be such smarticle particles as the crazy smart Automatons. So sorry if we are a little bit uncultured” - replies Razzo sarcastically.
Dre murmurs under its breath: “You can say that again and look where that got your species now…”
“Your majesty, can you tell us more about this ship?” - Dre says, trying to salvage the conversation with the Urug.
Ostikous sighs and says: “Yes I can tell you more. Currently you’re aboard Valentinas Voyage, the captain of this ship is Kyro. In times of war or hardship can prove to be the end for some species and their people, but opportunity for others. Such as the captain, these hardships rang of opportunities, the black markets all over various galaxies were prospering from the Minerau invasions growing in massive amounts of wealth through servants and captives. This went along nicely for said captain of this ship Kyro who already dealt in the trade of rare beings, and sold those rare beings on the dark trade. They had gained access to most territories, as he had agreements with certain members of the Minerau army that he could use to gain access, as well as he kept a captains sigil of the Minerau. But not just of the Minerau but collected them from every race, that is except humans because of their reserved ways. Before he would simply persuade people or lure them and capture them when the bounty was worth it. With the war it had gotten increasingly easier to persuade people to leave with him, simply by offering a hand and the opportunity for a better future beings would hop on board without a second thought, and that’s what he betted on every time. Now all this information is merely rumors and hearsay what I’ve heard about this cursed ship”.
Razzo whispers to Dre: “That’s how the Automaton convinced us to come along on this ship”.
The Urug continues without missing a beat: “He was one of the best scavengers there is, and he got his reputation by taking 2 hunter ships of the Minerau fleet, and equipping them to his large transport vehicle in an effort to increase speeds as well as offer defenses, and the ability to break apart the ship mid battle. Kyro began executing this mission with a delicacy that wasn’t always used by scavengers, the Minerau fleet was typically followed closely by scavengers, but they had to remain far enough away to remain off the radars. But at the bottom line each scavenger knew that each was there for their squad and themselves and if things went south they would be on their own. But again a lot of this is mere speculation who really knows how the captain operates”.
Dre was impressed by all the information that Ostikous was able to gather on the captain and the ship: “How do you know all this?”
Ostikous sighs with fumes coming from his ears: “I was one of the first ones captured and collected information bit by bit. My planet system is a couple wormhole jumps away and are pretty isolated so we were easy pickings for the Minerau fleet”.
They wait for a moment reflecting on all the information that the urug was presenting them with. After a few minutes Razzo and Dre focused back on the being and left their pondering for later. They continued to get to know one another as the ship flew through the air while the rest of the creatures sat in their cells either talking amongst themselves or silently biding their time.