The White Sheep and The Black Wolf Part20
Stepping out of the transport, Kay squinted from the glare of
Bental, the smaller of the Hook'tak suns. As his eyes adjusted from
the sudden change from the dark transport, he tried to focus on all
the people he felt about him.
Eventually, his eyesight cleared and found himself standing
among a swarm of humans and aliens. Some of which he knew belonged to
MIB, some were the passengers from the Immigration Center.
But many of the crowd were from conquered worlds, and their
faces showed the sorrow of having lost their loved ones. Many
orphaned children wailed and there wasn't anyone to comfort them.
Unlike MIB and its immigrants, they already knew what pain and loss
was. Though he knew that both groups shared the same fate, Kay pitied
the conquered for their pain has only just begun.
Suddenly, Kay saw the crowd to the east began to move in a
surge as many screamed. And he could see why. The Hook'tak slave
drivers began to hustle the crowd into a large, filthy building.
Panic rippled through the crowd and many tried to flee. But
the drivers forced them back with their electric prods.
Upon entering the building, Kay found himself propelled
forward by those behind him that were trying to flee from the whips.
"Kay!" He heard a voice called above the clamor.
He looked about and found that it was Cee, as jumpy and
paranoid more than usual.
"Do you know where they're taking us?" Cee asked.
"Probably to our first assignment," Kay replied as they
continued down the dimly-lit corridor.
Then came a shrill scream from a Phorbian that sent chills
down Kay's spine. In contrast to Kay, Cee jumped and his face turned
a sickly white.
Kay placed a reassuring hand upon Cee's shoulder. "Remember
the risks we knew would happen when we signed the dotted line. Just
face it like a Man In Black."
Cee nodded, but by the look on his face he didn't seemed too
convinced.
At the end of the building, stood several synthoid guards
along with their handlers. Behind them were upright coffin-like
capsules, into which the synthoids placed the selected people their
handlers pointed out.
But as soon as the people entered, they exited with a new
change of clothing, some of which rank from koridium miner outfits to
slave driver uniforms. But it was the way they came out obediently
that made Kay realized what the chambers were.
"What's wrong with them, Kay?" Cee spoke in an unsteady
voice. "They act as if they're under control."
Kay shook his head. "Worse. I think the Hook'tak has..."
"Hey, you!" Someone called. "Keep moving to the end of the
room."
Cee looked at Kay and frowned. "That sure doesn't sound like
a Hook'tak driver. It sounded more like...Jay!"
Jay pushed his way through to them. In place of the black
suit he usually wore was a black Corinthian-leather uniform, lined
with Bolsa fur. On the side of his right sleeve, shone the Hook'tak
silver knife symbol for a slave driver.
Stepping out of the transport, Kay squinted from the glare of
Bental, the smaller of the Hook'tak suns. As his eyes adjusted from
the sudden change from the dark transport, he tried to focus on all
the people he felt about him.
Eventually, his eyesight cleared and found himself standing
among a swarm of humans and aliens. Some of which he knew belonged to
MIB, some were the passengers from the Immigration Center.
But many of the crowd were from conquered worlds, and their
faces showed the sorrow of having lost their loved ones. Many
orphaned children wailed and there wasn't anyone to comfort them.
Unlike MIB and its immigrants, they already knew what pain and loss
was. Though he knew that both groups shared the same fate, Kay pitied
the conquered for their pain has only just begun.
Suddenly, Kay saw the crowd to the east began to move in a
surge as many screamed. And he could see why. The Hook'tak slave
drivers began to hustle the crowd into a large, filthy building.
Panic rippled through the crowd and many tried to flee. But
the drivers forced them back with their electric prods.
Upon entering the building, Kay found himself propelled
forward by those behind him that were trying to flee from the whips.
"Kay!" He heard a voice called above the clamor.
He looked about and found that it was Cee, as jumpy and
paranoid more than usual.
"Do you know where they're taking us?" Cee asked.
"Probably to our first assignment," Kay replied as they
continued down the dimly-lit corridor.
Then came a shrill scream from a Phorbian that sent chills
down Kay's spine. In contrast to Kay, Cee jumped and his face turned
a sickly white.
Kay placed a reassuring hand upon Cee's shoulder. "Remember
the risks we knew would happen when we signed the dotted line. Just
face it like a Man In Black."
Cee nodded, but by the look on his face he didn't seemed too
convinced.
At the end of the building, stood several synthoid guards
along with their handlers. Behind them were upright coffin-like
capsules, into which the synthoids placed the selected people their
handlers pointed out.
But as soon as the people entered, they exited with a new
change of clothing, some of which rank from koridium miner outfits to
slave driver uniforms. But it was the way they came out obediently
that made Kay realized what the chambers were.
"What's wrong with them, Kay?" Cee spoke in an unsteady
voice. "They act as if they're under control."
Kay shook his head. "Worse. I think the Hook'tak has..."
"Hey, you!" Someone called. "Keep moving to the end of the
room."
Cee looked at Kay and frowned. "That sure doesn't sound like
a Hook'tak driver. It sounded more like...Jay!"
Jay pushed his way through to them. In place of the black
suit he usually wore was a black Corinthian-leather uniform, lined
with Bolsa fur. On the side of his right sleeve, shone the Hook'tak
silver knife symbol for a slave driver.