War in the City Chapter 4

IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE NEW ERA
"We had an agreement."

Roc rubbed his hands over each other nervously. "Yeah I know, but I'm not sure if I can do this."

"We can't pull out now," Paper insisted.

"No, we can. This is the only time we can pull out. Once we begin this, we'll be trapped in it forever."

"You're not thinking with a clear head Roc. You're just getting nervous about it. This whole thing seemed fine to you a few days ago."

"I'm telling you I don't want to do it."

Paper shoved Roc against the wall, and spoke in a harsh and clear tone. "Now you listen to me Roc, and you listen good. I'm the only friend you've got, the only friend you ever had. I'm telling you right now that if we don't stick together, we're never going to make it. I'm taking my orders from the gods themselves, and I'm not going to disobey them. With their help, I'm not afraid of failure. Now you can either join me in this, or you can watch, but one thing's for sure, I'm not turning back. The question is, are you going to let me go without any help?" Roc was silent. "I knew it," Paper responded. "I knew you were too good of a friend to leave me. Now, let's get going. We've got a lot of work to do."
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Paper sat in the back, in absolute silence. He didn't move at all; his face frozen in his disapproving look. The other nine passengers had long since disregarded him. About four of them were gazing awestruck out the window, their gaze undeterred by the conversations around them, as if to look away for even a second would cause them to completely miss the landscape below them. Three more were engaged in conversation, and they acted like the wonderful scenery floating underneath them did not even existed. Of the two other passengers, one was piloting the ship, the other was fast asleep.

The pilot looked down at his instruments, then called out, "Two minutes till we reach Kalka." Everyone took a brief moment to acknowledge this, then went back to what ever it was they were doing.

"It's time," Paper thought. "Now to exact my revenge on the Kalka Project, and on the city, once and for all." Paper reached behind him and opened a compartment that was directly above his head. His hand fumbled around in it without the aid of his eyes, since Paper's eyes were busy watching his fellow passengers. Paper wanted to make absolutely sure nobody looked over to see what he was doing. They all seemed so involved in their activities that the possibility one of them might suddenly take an interest in what Paper was doing, after ignoring him the whole trip, seemed remote. Nevertheless, after sitting motionless the whole ride, Paper's movements did cause some to glance over in his direction, out of habit, to see what the new motion was and then to disregard it.

In the short glance they took, no useful information could have been absorbed. All they saw was that Paper was getting something out of the compartment, but what it was they couldn't see. Paper, however, didn't want to take any chances. In a few seconds, their eyes would return to see what he had gotten from the compartment out of human curiosity. Paper sprang into action. Briefly giving his whole attention to the compartment, he pulled the laser gun out. By the time Paper turned around, his finger had already pressed down on the trigger. Paper held the trigger down, so that one laser beam after another shot out of the gun, as many as ten per second. Paper sprayed the whole shuttle with the laser fire. At as close a range as he was, it was almost impossible for Paper to miss, and a laser beam hitting anywhere on the body is fatal. Before the ship's crew knew they were under attack, most of them were dead. Some tried to hid behind the seats, but the laser gun cut right through the soft cushion. (The wall of the ship, and the ship's controls were relatively undamaged by the laser beams that hit them, because they were made of a resistant material.) Two passengers rushed forward to stop Paper, but they were both cut down.

Paper stood triumphant. He briefly examined all of the victims, making sure they all had a laser burn on them that assured him they were dead, and then he took control of the ship. "I'll just make a small adjustment here," he said to himself, "and I'm off to Marram. I only hope Roc is keeping his side of the deal."
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Roc gazed out of the window to his right intently, trying to look interested in the view. His right hand hung limply to his side. Hidden from the view of the other passengers, Roc held a laser gun in his right hand. The hand that held it was lower than his seat, effectively shielding it from view. Roc's head swarmed. He knew what he was supposed to do, but he hated the thought of doing it. Yet he didn't really feel he had a choice. It was too late now. Paper had probably committed his massacre already. Trembling with disgust at himself, Roc turned and fired the gun. Within seconds, he was the sole passenger on the ship. Nine dead bodies lay around him. He adjusted the controls of the ship to fly to Marram.
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To looked around him very intently. He shook his head, and turned to the other passengers. To was the leader of this ship from the Kalka Project. "I don't get it," he said.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" someone asked him.

To nodded. "Positive. I've been here at least twenty times before. The Kalkans come running from all over to get food as soon as we land."

"Maybe they're not hungry today," someone suggested.

To put a hand up to shield his eyes as he scanned the land around him for any signs of life. "Hungry or not, I would still think they would want the free food. What could be keeping them away?"

To turned his back to where he had just been looking, and faced the ship and its crew again. Suddenly, from out of the dense foliage behind him, a creature leaped out. Before To knew what was happening, the creature grabbed his neck and crushed it, then leaped upon the others. The creature was strong and powerful. One hit from its iron like hand could knock someone unconscious, or kill them if the blow hit the right spot. Some of The Watchers attacked the creature, but this proved both futile and fatal. Others tried to flee, but the creature was specifically instructed to leave no survivors. With its great speed, it overtook and destroyed them.
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Ku sat down, exhausted. He had been running as fast as he could for about a mile, and he was certain he was safe now. It had all happened so fast, he could hardly reconstruct the facts in his memory. All he remembered was his narrow escape, running as fast as he could well the creature pursued others going in the opposite direction.

"Thought you were safe, Ku?"

Ku was already jumpy, and the sudden voice caused every muscle in his body to twitch with the shock. Shaking, he looked up at where the voice had came from and saw a man floating above him. "Aked?"

The man smiled. "Surprise." Ku instantly fell dead.
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"You're getting sloppy," Nuntius said, as he dropped Ku's dead body at the creature's feet. "This one got away."

The creature was inclined to argue that, given the odds, the turnout was very satisfactory, but he knew better than to dispute a god. "Forgive me, Deka" the creature implored.

"Make sure it doesn't happen again," Nuntius answered. "Now, step into the ship, and allow me to fly you to our destination."

The creature stepped into the ship with Nuntius. "Yez, Deka." Since the ship was outside of the city, it was not protected by the Renegade force field. Therefore, Nuntius was able to pilot it.
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Nuntius rendered the ship invisible to all of the palace. He also allowed the ship to pass through the palace walls effortlessly. When the ship became visible again, it was in Palzo's throne room.

Palzo was sitting on his throne, talking to his advisors, when the ship suddenly appeared right in front of him. Palzo leaped to his feet in surprise. "What is it?" he demanded of his advisors. "What's that in front of me?"

The advisors were too shocked to think clearly, and each yelled out the first thing that came to their head. Only Darma kept his cool. "It bears a remarkable likeness to the reports we received of magical vehicles a little over a year ago," Darma answered.

Palzo looked at the ship, trying to determine if Darma was correct. Before Palzo had a chance to make a decision, the door of the ship opened, and out stepped the creature.

Palzo needed no more than one look at the creature before he leaped off his throne, shed his royal robes like they were on fire, threw his golden scepter to the ground, and took off his golden crown, placing it on the throne. "Forgive me, my lord," he said. "We thought you were dead."

"I've been very much alive Palzo, very much alive. I've been watching your progrezz carefully, and I have not been entirely pleazed."

"Forgive me my lord, if I have made any mistakes," Palzo answered, bowing before the creature. "My life is to serve."

"Zerve me you zhall. I want you and eight of your bezt men to come with me on a new conquezt." The creature looked at Darma. "He zhowz great intelligence. Bring him along, and zeven of your bezt men."

"Yes, my lord," Palzo answered, as he ran out of the room.

"Oh, one more thing," the creature called just as Palzo was exiting the throne room. Palzo hurried back.

"Yes?"

"Find Azet. Bring him to me."

Palzo bowed. "Yes Azom, I will do as you say."
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Shortly after Palzo had left, Azet flew into throne room. He showed great surprise upon seeing Azom, and flew to Azom's feet. "Palzo said you were back," Azet spoke, "but I didn't believe him."

"That waz wize of you," Azom answered. "Palzo is a fool."

Azet shook his head. "I haven't seen you for over four years now. I thought you were dead. I saw Ishod kill you."

"I thought I waz dead too," Azom answered. "But as you can zee, I'm very much alive. I have come to the concluzion that I am immortal, that nothing can harm me. Nothing."

Azet wanted to argue this point, as he thought every single living creature must have some weakness, but there were other things he wanted to talk about first. "Where have you been for the past four years? Why didn't you come and find me as soon as you recovered? Why didn't you returned to take control of Marram a long time ago?"

Azom turned away. "All will be anzwered in time. In the meantime, we have work to do."

"Work?"

"You muzt come with me. The Deka has given uz a tazk."

"What kind of task? Azom, what are you talking about?"

"I don't know yet. I'm following the commands of Deka now, nothing else. "
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Paper actually arrived in Marram before Azom, but he was met near the palace by Bella. Bella transported himself into Paper's ship. Roc arrived moments later, and was instructed to display the inside of Paper's ship on his monitor, so he could hear what Bella had to say to Paper.

"Both of your ships have been rendered invisible to all," he explained. "You must wait here until Nuntius is done explaining things to Azom. Then I will lead you into the palace, and Nuntius will take over from there. Understood?"

"Understood," Paper answered.

"One more thing," Bella added. "Nuntius has assumed the form of Deka. As far as everyone outside of the city knows, Deka is not dead, but very much alive. They also believe Deka is the only god. You are not to ruin the charade. If you, even by accident, address Nuntius in front of others by a name that is not Deka, or imply that there are other gods, you will be killed instantly. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Paper answered.