Page 15 of Survivor
Eyes turned to us as we walked down the aisle toward the pit. They dismissed Tide but remained on me. There was no hiding I was human. Not in this outfit and I hadn’t seen a single human on this port. Our species hadn’t gotten so far in its explorations yet. I had to hope that Vartin was right and that officials didn’t make it this far.
One of the pale-skinned creatures ran up to us.
“148 with me.” Her voice was musical and lilting, and her attention was on Tide.
“I’m 148.” I stepped forward.
She frowned and looked at her holoboard, then back up at me. “There must be a mistake.”
She tapped and swiped the screen, then looked up over our heads. I followed her gaze to the rectangular window of light, where the figure was still silhouetted.
The pale creature’s head bobbed, and then she nodded. “Come.”
With a final look at Tide, I followed her.
She led me to the platform. “You can choose to leave,” she said. “There is no obligation to fight.”
A shiver ran up my spine. “Who am I fighting?”
Wait … Why had it gone quiet all of a sudden? The pale creature backed up a step, her gaze slipping over my shoulder.
“Rogue!” Tide called out. I scanned the pits to find him on the other side of the walkway already on his platform. But his eyes were on a point behind me.
The thud of boots cut through the low hum of voices. I turned slowly to face the owner of the steps. Seven feet of muscle and rage, he glared down at me as if offended by my existence. He looked humanoid, but his body was out of proportion, shoulders and arms too big, head too small with no visible neck holding it up. He reminded me of those action figures you used to get on Earth with the tiny legs and huge torsos. And he was towering over me, giving off I’m-going-to-crush-you vibes.
“What the fuck?” His voice was guttural and grating at the same time. “This some joke?”
He could either speak English or had a chip like the rest of the people here.
He pointed a thick finger at me. “Get lost. Not playing.”
He was huge, and if he did manage to get a hold of me, he could probably break me. But I was fast, and being small could have its advantages.
I placed my hands on my hips and stared up at him. “You scared, big guy?”
He snorted derisively. “I’ll crush you.”
“Save it for the pit,” the pale female said. But there was a quiver in her voice.
The monolith transferred his glare to her. “You talking to me, noodle?”
She shook her head and backed up. “Fight or leave. Braker’s rules.”
He grumbled and stepped onto the platform. It shuddered under his weight, and then lowered him smoothly into the bowels of what would be our arena.
“Rogue!” Tide called out again.
His opponent was beside him, slightly taller but a similar build. He looked humanoid except for the pincers that made up his hands.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
Are you sure, a question and not an order. Boy, had we come far. I nodded and offered him two thumbs up. His jaw tightened, but he nodded curtly, stepping onto the platform alongside his opponent.
My platform returned, and I made to step on. Slender, pale fingers wrapped around my arm.
“Still time to walk away.” Her eyes gleamed wetly as she blinked.
“Thank you. But I can do this.”
