It was a short ride, fortunately.The bat creature was repulsive.Brail clung to the saddle and closed her eyes as it flittered crazily over the metropolis.Credessa held her like a sister, assuring her that it would be over in a minute.
Once they dismounted,the monster screeched horribly and flew away back into the nightmare sky.
The Coliseum was packed with artificial Romans.None of them were real.Not one belonged here,in this mock city plucked out of his subconscious and dropped down in the middle of a wasteland.Bare breasted women with curls and over emphasized eye liner tittered at a limb chopped off, and obese men roared at the antics of dwarves in the interval.
Suddenly the earth heaved and they were thrown to the ground as they lost their balance.The earthquake subsided quickly but it was enough to cause screams,and horses spun out of control,blind with terror.
"We've been experiencing slight tremors lately,"Credessa informed them."They don't cause much damage except for small fires and broken pottery.But the will of the god's be done."
Captain Space looked up at a towering statue of Jupiter presiding over the arena.It was made of bronze,and the dieties phallus had snapped off at some past eruption and now lay on the ground forgotten.
If the statue itself were to collapse it would crush hundreds.
Credessa led them high into the balcony,to the royal enclosure.
Zorrik was already seated with his curiosity,the monster cyclops.He was eating peacock eyes in jelly and didn't seem to notice them approaching.
The mirror faced Cyborgs swarmed everywhere.If he was to accomplish the murder of the tyrant it would have to be swift.He was sure that the population of Nefarious would support him,but Zorrik's little guards were probably loyal to their master.
Regicide was nothing new to him; Valerius had discovered his involvement in the plot against him and had had him stabbed to death as he was urinating against the wall outside the city.The King himself had come to a gruesome end in a Persian court,flayed alive.
But this was two thousand years later,on a different planet, and he was up against a Telemartian who had already damaged time irrevocably and Telemartian's didn't die easily.
But someone had to stop the madness.
Even if it meant his own death,he had to stop the desecration of time.
They sat down in the seats next to the royal couple and settled in uncomfortably.
"I suppose you are worried about your policeman friend,"Zorrik said at length."He will be returned to you."
"Your highness is most gracious,"Captain Space said,playing the expected sycophant.
"Oh, it's the least I can do.It was simply a misunderstanding.My friends are a bit rash.Barbaric,even."
Out in the circle below them they were dragging away the corpse of a Kadrakkian.The triple headed ogre had died with a trident piercing his heart.The victor,a humanoid with four arms,saluted and left to the roar of approval from the crowd.
This phantom Rome was just as he remembered it ,down to the last minute detail.
He himself had once enjoyed the blood sport,until a dagger in his entrails changed his perspective.
"This next one is a simple execution.Incredibly boring but necessary,"Zorrik said."I promise you'll enjoy the next episode."
The scientist risked a glance in his direction and met the eye of the cyclops.It looked away shyly.The beast had red flesh that was composed of twisting membranes and viens popping out of its body.A single horn jutted out of its forehead just above the eye.Huge fangs sprouted from its slit mouth going downwards.Drool seemed to pour out constantly,forming a nasty puddle at its feet....the poor thing seemed to be in a state of misery; perhaps in horror of what it was...
"You'll forgive my companion,"Zorrik said.He had not missed the exchange."Gargan long ago lost the ability to speak.Its organs are in perpetual flux.I have to constantly operate to keep it alive, otherwise the degenerative process will kill it."
What ever had happened to the monster had also doomed it to a life of hell.Perhaps a nuclear explosion had put it in this living nightmare.
It was an abomination.A crime against nature.Keeping it alive was in itself an aberration.
"They say that a coward will die a thousand deaths,"Zorrik continued,"but they failed to mention that a man who crossed the line will also suffer the torments of his actions...no matter how hard he may try to change things,it's too late.You just have to live with what you did.The ghosts are always there..."
What the hell was he talking about?
The green Voluptian girl poured a goblet of spiced wine for her master.
As she walked towards Zorrik she suddenly tripped and spilled the contents all over him.
Bzzzzzzzzzt
The hidden laser in his hand reduced the poor child to smoking ash.
"Stupid girl,"the tyrant spat."You'd think with three eyes she wouldn't be so clumsy."
It had happened so fast that the Captain and Brail were immobilized with shock.
Down below a pathetic figure was dragged into the middle of the walled enclosure and beaten into submission by gargoyle soldiers.
It looked like an old rat with a beard.
"Pindar tried to steal something from me", Zorrik remarked."Friendship only goes so far and then it has to end."
The bull head doors at the far end swung open and a familiar figure emerged.
It was the dinosaur spy from earlier in the day.
"I wasn't aware that you employed denizens of Sauros,"the Captain said carefully,mindful of the fate of the wretched slave girl.
"Oh,yes,Bolgeron is an exceptional bugger,"Zorrik seemed to gloat."I rescued him from his own family.His brother seized the throne and was going to put him to death.I had to pay a lot of money to save him.Now he owes me a debt of gratitude.He does whatever I tell him."
An outright lie.
Sauros had no royal family.It was a planet of benevolent reptiles.This one must be an an outcast for some reason.
The monster walked to the center of the killing field and stood next to the cowering rat.
"Do you wish to be forgiven,Pindar?" Zorrik called down to him."I am in the mood to let you go."
The mob in the stands booed loudly.
"I'm sorry,my friend,but it seems that public opinion is against you!"
He gave the thumbs down signal and the carnosaur brought out a sword from beneath his tunic.
As the creature begged for mercy the lizard hacked into the side of his kneck suddenly.Blood splurted out and he fell to his knees with a groan.Another vicious chop severed his head from his shoulders.
"Well done, Bolgeron,"Zorrik called down."Now get out!"
The reptilian bowed obedience and left.
Gargoyles cleaned up the mess left behind.
A hush settled over the crowd in the seats.
"This next one you'll be sure to enjoy,"Zorrik said."Crettis is our favorite."
The bull headed doors swung open and a human figure was forced out.His hands were tied behind his back and a burlap bag covered his head.
They untied him and removed the head covering.
When the man turned around it was Lance Morgan,the Galactic Agent.
Brail squeezed his arm tightly and Captain Space leaned close to her.
"Say nothing,"he whispered,"our lives are in danger enough already.This man Zorrik is a psychopath.You saw how he killed the slave girl.We are at the mercy of a lunatic!"
"You can have your friend back once we're done with him," Zorrik remarked.
The gargoyles threw a sword and shield at his feet and left.
Lance Morgan stared around him in confusion,his eyes adjusting to the sudden daylight.
Behind him the figure of a seven foot tall bull headed man emerged from the darkness.
It was a minotaur right out of Greek mythology.It dragged a huge wooden club.
One could see fresh battle wounds all over its torso.Obviously no one had cared enough to let him heal before they threw him out for another slaughter.The cuts were still bleeding every time it moved.
But even with this handicap,the Galactic Policeman faced certain death against the giant.
The human tripped in the sand and scrambled to get the sword and shield as the monster lumbered towards him.
The minotaur slowly raised the club over its head in spite of the wicked gash on its shoulder.Obviously it was in severe pain.
Morgan had just enough time to raise his shield when the club came smashing down on his head,forcing him to his knees in the sand.The shield protected him but blood streamed down his face from the horrendous impact.
He managed to crawl away as the bull man readied for another assault.The wounds on its body were slowing him down.
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