Chapter 4
Consciousness slowly washed over me. The first thing I noticed was just how hot it was. My skin felt like it was burning but I was too lazy and drunk to move. I assumed it was morning and the heat was coming from the artificial sun. The fact that I was still drunk the next morning wasn't a good sign. What was that stuff Trance made? Note to self: don't let trance fix your drinks. End of note. I could hear the birds chirping and small groans coming from the rest of my crew who apparently were still as drunk as I was...and in Harper's case he probably was just as drunk as he was last night. Especially since he drank me under the table and he has the system of a refugee camp drifter. The grass tickled my arms and legs bringing a much necessary stimulation to my body. I felt like I had been in an sensory depravation tank. The feel of the grass was almost hypnotizing. My stomach flip flopped and I remembered just how many blue thingies I ate last night which made me groan even louder. I couldn't believe that I was an 340 year old man...give or take a few years...and I still was getting so drunk that I couldn't' remember what I did the night before. I was ashamed but oddly amused. I smiled quietly to myself remembering just how hammered I was and how good it felt. Suddenly a nice cool fell over me. I opened my eyes slowly to figure out what was blocking the heat. A tall form stood over me. I squinted harder but all I could make out was the color green...shit.
"Chakra?" I said hesitantly, still not willing to move from my positon.
"Captain Dylan Hunt." He said in an unamused tone.
"I can explain all of this...we were just having a few drinks. We did nothing to harm ..."
My words were cut off when I saw long white sheets of a papery substance strewn all over the surrounding foliage. Chakra followed my eyes and grimaced and then looked back at me. damn...strike two
"Oh..." I said as two scaly green hands belonging to a huge Rollan reached down and grabbed me yanking me up much to fast for my stomach to handle. I could feel the once tasty blue marshmallows turning into hot bile and traveling up my throat.
"Oh he's gonna spew..." I could hear Harper slur. Then I letta rip letting thick blue sludge cover Chakra's big green feet. I looked up wiping my mouth woefully...
"Marshmallows..." was all I could say before the world went black...my last thoughts were ....damn strike three, i'm out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I woke up much like I did before. The heat wasn't there...it was nice and cool but the drunkenness remained. I opened my eyes and looked around. Surprisingly I wasn't shocked to see bars. This was far from the first time I had been locked away and this cell wasn't so bad. It was a little small, just tall enough for me to stand up. It smelled damp and rank like inmates had peed on the walls and floors. From the looks of the cell they would have to...there wasn't anytype of facilities. I was in a caged box, nothing more. I sat up slowly rubbing my head...
"Beka?..Tyr?...Harper?...Trance?" I said trying to get the vomit taste out of my mouth. They all made there presence known sounding equally as drunk as I was...some more then others. We were in different cells. Harper and Trance were in the cell in front of mine across the room...while Beka and Tyr were in the cell next to mine. My eyes angrily landed on Harper. I knew that only Harper could do something so stupid. So spontaneous and immature. Times like these I wonder why I'm wasting my time trying to know him. The short little guy in the cell in front of me who was a ticking time bomb of pent up emotion. I couldn't read him...I didn't even know if the emotions that he let surface were real or whether they were just placeholders for his real ones. Gathering up enough potency to burst forth and shatter everything around him. His face twitched and for a second there was anger and sadness all rolled up but then just like always...it turned back into Harper's usual face. The one where you can't help but feel sorry for him cause he seems so small and so stunted. I think that's what he wants us to feel. Sorry for him...sorry enough that we won't ask too much of him...ask him something ridiculous like...I don't know...to feel maybe.
"Dylan, just say it...but in my defense I was drunk you know." Harper said looking at Trance who nodded her agreement. Harper stumbled a little and Trance caught him looked very guilty and I realized that she must have helped him in his little late night sabotage. I shook my head in disbelief. Both Harper and Trances remorseful faces combined were hard to cope with...it would be like spanking an injured puppy. But this had to be dealt with and I knew that both of them were far from this cute. I knew that for both of them this cuteness was a defense mechanism. One they used one to many times.
"What the hell did you do...where did you get the idea to do...whatever it was that you did?" I said not even attempting to hold back my anger.
"Well, it's an old ancient earth joke...it's call T-P'ing." He grinned but it slowly faded when he realized I didn't find it funny.
"Come on Dylan...lighten up...I doubt they put us in the brig for toilet papering a few shrubs...well, a lot of shrubs...But that's not the point. Something else has to be going on here...I mean, they knocked you out and dragged us down here like we killed someone." Harper said pointing to my face. I reached up and grimaced at the tender skin around my eye. I guess I didn't black out on my own accord then...
"Harper..." I said angrily but was cut off by the door at the end of the hallway opening. Light flooded the chamber revealing part of the room that was once shrouded in complete darkness. The room was huge filled with rows and rows of cages. some hanging from the ceiling...others partially submerged in water. We seemed to be the only captives in this room. I stood on my wobbly legs waiting for the world to stop spinning and waiting for my eyes to adjust to the barrage of light.
Chakra and Romir stepped in. Romir smirked at Tyr obviously playing on the fact that we were behind bars while he walked around freely. Tyr growled at romir but it was muffled by drunkenness and Harper snickered to himself.
"Way to go Tyr...grrr" Harper teased which got him a deadly look hurled his way. Chakra held up his hand and silenced the room. Never before had I seen him look the way he did. He seemed tense and he looked to be struggling for control...like he could explode with anger at any minute. The extra light helped me to survey the condition of my crew. Tyr seemed fine but he swayed a little frowning at his own unsteadiness. Beka, well Beka seemed like she was asleep. I realized that she wasn't use to drinking, in fact that might have been her first time. She laid propped up on the back wall of the cell completely oblivious to what was going on around her. Trance seemed fine, bouncing from heel to toe like usual which made me a little uneasy. She drank just as much as we did. Harper was flushed and sweaty and like anyone with a hangover his breathing was compromised in an attempt to keep himself from throwing up. Trance was keeping an eye on him in her Trance kinda way.
"Captain Dylan Hunt. I did not expect this from you. I had high hopes for you and your family. I'm usually a good judge of character but I finally understand why our planet was cut off from your worlds. You cannot be trusted. It is a shame that it took such a tragedy for me to understand the horrible danger and savagery of the universe."
"Chakra...I have to apologize for the actions of my crew and I will take full responsibility for ...uh...TP'ing your garden and of course for.uh..."
"Spewing on his foot?" Trance said smiling which made Harper chuckle.
"Do not make light of this. You and your crew are charged with 3 counts of murder and are sentenced to death by the hands of the victims mourning family." Chakra said tightening his lips and squaring his shoulders.
"What!?" I said loudly. Harper stepped up to the bars of his cage holding his stomach.
"We didn't kill anyone!...what proof do you have!" Harper shouted. Harper's face was turning red and I could tell that his drunken state was making this situation even more horrifying then it was.
"During our search we found recently fired weapons in your room. Is that not proof enough?" Chakra said. Harper looked down at the ground swearing under his breath.
"What motive would we have to kill anyone here?" I said exasperated.
Chakra pulled the empty bottle that was once full of the potent liquor Trance had made from one of his pockets.
"Motive is not necessary when you are under the influence of something as potent as this concoction" Chakra said throwing the bottle at my feet. It shattered into pieces and the loud clatter echoed off of the walls making me flinch. I couldn't remember what we did last night.all I could remember was entering the perpetual garden.could we have done something in our drunken state? The noise woke Beka up with a start and she looked around feverishly.
"What!" She said spooked and trying to jump to her feet but failing miserably.
"I think I'm still drunk.I feel sick." She said turning green. Tyr grimaced.
"You killed a good friend of mine...as well as strong family providers. If I could kill you myself I would." Chakra sneered revealing little blunt herbivore teeth.
"Chakra...we didn't do it...you have to believe us...at least perform an investigation. It wasn't us!" Chakra turned his back and stormed out of the room.
"You will die by the hands of the victims mourning family in 3 hours." Chakra said before exiting. Romir started walking out but turned around at the door.
"Bang. Bang. Bang..."he said he blew mock exhaust from his mock weapon represented by his finger. He grinned and walked out, closing the door behind him and once again shrouding the room in darkness.
"I think it's time for you to share with us your heroic plan of escape" Tyr said cutting through the silence. I could hear the sarcasm in his voice.
"Tyr, we wouldn't be in this situation if you had followed my orders." Tyr scoffed and fell quiet. I sat back and started to think. We did need a plan of escape. Suddenly the sound of Beka throwing up and Tyr screaming filled the room.
"Sorry Tyr." Beka mumbled through the dark.
To Be Continued.
Consciousness slowly washed over me. The first thing I noticed was just how hot it was. My skin felt like it was burning but I was too lazy and drunk to move. I assumed it was morning and the heat was coming from the artificial sun. The fact that I was still drunk the next morning wasn't a good sign. What was that stuff Trance made? Note to self: don't let trance fix your drinks. End of note. I could hear the birds chirping and small groans coming from the rest of my crew who apparently were still as drunk as I was...and in Harper's case he probably was just as drunk as he was last night. Especially since he drank me under the table and he has the system of a refugee camp drifter. The grass tickled my arms and legs bringing a much necessary stimulation to my body. I felt like I had been in an sensory depravation tank. The feel of the grass was almost hypnotizing. My stomach flip flopped and I remembered just how many blue thingies I ate last night which made me groan even louder. I couldn't believe that I was an 340 year old man...give or take a few years...and I still was getting so drunk that I couldn't' remember what I did the night before. I was ashamed but oddly amused. I smiled quietly to myself remembering just how hammered I was and how good it felt. Suddenly a nice cool fell over me. I opened my eyes slowly to figure out what was blocking the heat. A tall form stood over me. I squinted harder but all I could make out was the color green...shit.
"Chakra?" I said hesitantly, still not willing to move from my positon.
"Captain Dylan Hunt." He said in an unamused tone.
"I can explain all of this...we were just having a few drinks. We did nothing to harm ..."
My words were cut off when I saw long white sheets of a papery substance strewn all over the surrounding foliage. Chakra followed my eyes and grimaced and then looked back at me. damn...strike two
"Oh..." I said as two scaly green hands belonging to a huge Rollan reached down and grabbed me yanking me up much to fast for my stomach to handle. I could feel the once tasty blue marshmallows turning into hot bile and traveling up my throat.
"Oh he's gonna spew..." I could hear Harper slur. Then I letta rip letting thick blue sludge cover Chakra's big green feet. I looked up wiping my mouth woefully...
"Marshmallows..." was all I could say before the world went black...my last thoughts were ....damn strike three, i'm out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I woke up much like I did before. The heat wasn't there...it was nice and cool but the drunkenness remained. I opened my eyes and looked around. Surprisingly I wasn't shocked to see bars. This was far from the first time I had been locked away and this cell wasn't so bad. It was a little small, just tall enough for me to stand up. It smelled damp and rank like inmates had peed on the walls and floors. From the looks of the cell they would have to...there wasn't anytype of facilities. I was in a caged box, nothing more. I sat up slowly rubbing my head...
"Beka?..Tyr?...Harper?...Trance?" I said trying to get the vomit taste out of my mouth. They all made there presence known sounding equally as drunk as I was...some more then others. We were in different cells. Harper and Trance were in the cell in front of mine across the room...while Beka and Tyr were in the cell next to mine. My eyes angrily landed on Harper. I knew that only Harper could do something so stupid. So spontaneous and immature. Times like these I wonder why I'm wasting my time trying to know him. The short little guy in the cell in front of me who was a ticking time bomb of pent up emotion. I couldn't read him...I didn't even know if the emotions that he let surface were real or whether they were just placeholders for his real ones. Gathering up enough potency to burst forth and shatter everything around him. His face twitched and for a second there was anger and sadness all rolled up but then just like always...it turned back into Harper's usual face. The one where you can't help but feel sorry for him cause he seems so small and so stunted. I think that's what he wants us to feel. Sorry for him...sorry enough that we won't ask too much of him...ask him something ridiculous like...I don't know...to feel maybe.
"Dylan, just say it...but in my defense I was drunk you know." Harper said looking at Trance who nodded her agreement. Harper stumbled a little and Trance caught him looked very guilty and I realized that she must have helped him in his little late night sabotage. I shook my head in disbelief. Both Harper and Trances remorseful faces combined were hard to cope with...it would be like spanking an injured puppy. But this had to be dealt with and I knew that both of them were far from this cute. I knew that for both of them this cuteness was a defense mechanism. One they used one to many times.
"What the hell did you do...where did you get the idea to do...whatever it was that you did?" I said not even attempting to hold back my anger.
"Well, it's an old ancient earth joke...it's call T-P'ing." He grinned but it slowly faded when he realized I didn't find it funny.
"Come on Dylan...lighten up...I doubt they put us in the brig for toilet papering a few shrubs...well, a lot of shrubs...But that's not the point. Something else has to be going on here...I mean, they knocked you out and dragged us down here like we killed someone." Harper said pointing to my face. I reached up and grimaced at the tender skin around my eye. I guess I didn't black out on my own accord then...
"Harper..." I said angrily but was cut off by the door at the end of the hallway opening. Light flooded the chamber revealing part of the room that was once shrouded in complete darkness. The room was huge filled with rows and rows of cages. some hanging from the ceiling...others partially submerged in water. We seemed to be the only captives in this room. I stood on my wobbly legs waiting for the world to stop spinning and waiting for my eyes to adjust to the barrage of light.
Chakra and Romir stepped in. Romir smirked at Tyr obviously playing on the fact that we were behind bars while he walked around freely. Tyr growled at romir but it was muffled by drunkenness and Harper snickered to himself.
"Way to go Tyr...grrr" Harper teased which got him a deadly look hurled his way. Chakra held up his hand and silenced the room. Never before had I seen him look the way he did. He seemed tense and he looked to be struggling for control...like he could explode with anger at any minute. The extra light helped me to survey the condition of my crew. Tyr seemed fine but he swayed a little frowning at his own unsteadiness. Beka, well Beka seemed like she was asleep. I realized that she wasn't use to drinking, in fact that might have been her first time. She laid propped up on the back wall of the cell completely oblivious to what was going on around her. Trance seemed fine, bouncing from heel to toe like usual which made me a little uneasy. She drank just as much as we did. Harper was flushed and sweaty and like anyone with a hangover his breathing was compromised in an attempt to keep himself from throwing up. Trance was keeping an eye on him in her Trance kinda way.
"Captain Dylan Hunt. I did not expect this from you. I had high hopes for you and your family. I'm usually a good judge of character but I finally understand why our planet was cut off from your worlds. You cannot be trusted. It is a shame that it took such a tragedy for me to understand the horrible danger and savagery of the universe."
"Chakra...I have to apologize for the actions of my crew and I will take full responsibility for ...uh...TP'ing your garden and of course for.uh..."
"Spewing on his foot?" Trance said smiling which made Harper chuckle.
"Do not make light of this. You and your crew are charged with 3 counts of murder and are sentenced to death by the hands of the victims mourning family." Chakra said tightening his lips and squaring his shoulders.
"What!?" I said loudly. Harper stepped up to the bars of his cage holding his stomach.
"We didn't kill anyone!...what proof do you have!" Harper shouted. Harper's face was turning red and I could tell that his drunken state was making this situation even more horrifying then it was.
"During our search we found recently fired weapons in your room. Is that not proof enough?" Chakra said. Harper looked down at the ground swearing under his breath.
"What motive would we have to kill anyone here?" I said exasperated.
Chakra pulled the empty bottle that was once full of the potent liquor Trance had made from one of his pockets.
"Motive is not necessary when you are under the influence of something as potent as this concoction" Chakra said throwing the bottle at my feet. It shattered into pieces and the loud clatter echoed off of the walls making me flinch. I couldn't remember what we did last night.all I could remember was entering the perpetual garden.could we have done something in our drunken state? The noise woke Beka up with a start and she looked around feverishly.
"What!" She said spooked and trying to jump to her feet but failing miserably.
"I think I'm still drunk.I feel sick." She said turning green. Tyr grimaced.
"You killed a good friend of mine...as well as strong family providers. If I could kill you myself I would." Chakra sneered revealing little blunt herbivore teeth.
"Chakra...we didn't do it...you have to believe us...at least perform an investigation. It wasn't us!" Chakra turned his back and stormed out of the room.
"You will die by the hands of the victims mourning family in 3 hours." Chakra said before exiting. Romir started walking out but turned around at the door.
"Bang. Bang. Bang..."he said he blew mock exhaust from his mock weapon represented by his finger. He grinned and walked out, closing the door behind him and once again shrouding the room in darkness.
"I think it's time for you to share with us your heroic plan of escape" Tyr said cutting through the silence. I could hear the sarcasm in his voice.
"Tyr, we wouldn't be in this situation if you had followed my orders." Tyr scoffed and fell quiet. I sat back and started to think. We did need a plan of escape. Suddenly the sound of Beka throwing up and Tyr screaming filled the room.
"Sorry Tyr." Beka mumbled through the dark.
To Be Continued.