Part 35

Dylan smiled as Rhade glared at Colin, who was talking to Beka, and occasionally making her laugh. They were all on the Maru now, on the planet where Yussuf was based awaiting the time to leave for that evenings fight night.

"So, Rhade," Dylan stated, to draw the Nietzschean's attention from Beka. "Do you know who you'll be fighting tonight?"

"No, I won't know till I get there, but Yussuf recognised me, of that I am sure," Rhade spoke with slight concern.

"You don't have to do this," Dylan stated.

"I do," Rhade returned. "Dani might be relying on me to return, if her intentions with Harper are good."

"And if they are not?" Dylan questioned. "You could be walking into a trap and Yussuf has had his hands on enough of my crew for one week."

"I can look after myself," Rhade responded.

"And in their own way so can Beka and Harper, but they were still caught by this mad man," Dylan quickly responded. "I don't want you to take any chances, regardless of pride, so if you sense you are out of your depth then get the hell out of there, and if you suspect that Dani is not going to assist us, likewise, the fight is not the important thing here," Dylan stressed.

"Understood," Rhade simply responded, and Dylan looked up to see Rhade was once again distracted by Colin and Beka.

"They are getting on famously," Dylan remarked.

"I don't trust him," Rhade stated firmly. "No one can be Nietzschean and be so non-Nietzschean as well, not for this long, he's up to something."

"Rhade, like you he wasn't brought up in a solely Nietzschean environment," Dylan reasoned.

"Yet I still managed to remember who I was, you never simply forget," Rhade said under his breath.

"Beka told me that his father betrayed him, and he chose to forget," Dylan offered, although no longer looked so convinced.

"That does not happen," Rhade stressed with conviction. "We need to keep a close eye on him, Dylan."

"Bank on it," Dylan confirmed, and his words reassured Rhade as he finally looked away.

Kane sat calmly as Yussuf paced the area before him, and listened intently to his master.

"How was this allowed to happen, and why have we only just found out?" Yussuf asked loudly.

"Communication was down, and the guards were over run, those who were able to escape have only just made it back," Kane explained with care.

"With that camp gone, all the security I had has also gone," Yussuf said with concern. "Do we have any clues as to who's behind this?"

"We have one clear suspect, your friend Dylan Hunt and the Commonwealth," Kane answered. "Beka Valentine was the last person to arrive at the camp."

"His next target will be that kludge," Yussuf figured.

"The same kludge that saved your life," Kane pointed out.

Yussuf nodded his head. "On principle I owe this kludge for what he did," he explained, and seemed to have difficulty accepting his own words as he stared into the distance. "Though I suspect that will become null and void if he causes me this much trouble by his associations, if his 'friends' continue their efforts against me."

"I suspect his friends won't stop," Kane reasoned.

"They have to learn that he no longer belongs to them," Yussuf frowned. "He is a part of the Yussuf pride now and I look after my own, but for the greater good, I will do what I have to do to ensure that he does not become a liability."

Kane simply nodded his head. "Are we going to take any additional precautions?" he asked.

"Rhade is down to defend his title tonight at the fight night," Yussuf stated, clearly thinking out a plan. "I want additional security, and I want the kludge to become your problem until this threat has passed," Yussuf decided. "Dani is somewhat taken by the kludge," he added with awkwardness in his voice. "Just ensure that things remain as they are right now, I want no surprises, now I am leaving to prepare for the fights tonight," he simply finished, and then left the room quickly.

Kane got to his feet, knowing what he had to do, and he headed off towards Dani's quarters to begin his new mission, knowing he would be babysitting the kludge for at least the next twenty-four hours, with the fights due to begin in less than five hours.

Harper kicked the door open and almost dropped the crate of beer he had carried with just one arm, the weight on his one arm was unbearable and he couldn't wait to lose the crate, having almost dropped it a number of times already. Behind him two more slaves brought the rest and they quickly dumped the crates where Harper indicated, and promptly left the room.

Glancing around, Harper heard that music had started and the ubers were in high spirits, even before the consumption of alcohol. He then noticed Dani squirming in Rico's hold and it took all his will power not to race over to rescue her from his slimy hands, she seemed to still be in control but only just. Harper knelt down and begun to open the crates as best he could with only one working hand, but he soon felt a presence behind him.

"Is this it?" Rico's voice asked.

Harper slowly got to his feet and turned around, and breaking all the rules he sneered. "Yeah," he answered, and a hushed silence quickly followed.

"You insult me with an answer, and the wrong answer at that?" Rico proclaimed.

"Rico," Dani hurried forward. "Stop this, he's followed orders lets just party, ok, first dance?" she gestured trying to pull him away from Harper, offering herself as a distraction.

Rico just responded by pushing Dani away, and she stumbled backwards into the hold of another uber who grabbed hold of her tightly, then slowly Rico turned back to Harper who clearly objected to his actions. "Is there a problem?" Rico innocently asked on seeing Harper's reaction.

Harper took some needed breaths, he wanted to scream and yell at the uber for what he was doing to Dani, and he had just about had enough of his arrogance. If this uber was simply looking to rile him, then Harper just wanted to cut to the chase, it seemed the whole building knew what Rico had planned, and it involved him and Harper could see no reason to continue to act out this charade. Harper then saw Dani struggling in an ubers hold and found a reason, she looked genuinely scared and he forced himself to calm down, realising that he would achieve nothing by playing into Rico's hands.

"Well?" Rico asked.

Harper just picked up a beer, shook it, and with one hand he opened it and the beer sprayed straight into the face of Rico. There were murmurs of amusement but mostly silence, as Harper tried hard not to grin at Rico, who slowly wiped his face.

Suddenly Rico swiped the can clean from Harper's hold and the can crashed to the floor with Harper nearly losing his balance from the force of Rico's actions. A hand then grabbed his neck and Harper soon found himself backed into the wall, gasping for air as Rico's face almost touched his own.

"Bet you think you're real funny," Rico sneered. "Bet you think you're untouchable, a real hero for saving Yussuf."

"No," Harper responded truthfully.

Rico then grabbed hold of Harper and practically picked him up and threw him across the floor, and the human crashed against the opposite wall with force, stunning him for a moment.

"Well we don't think you're a hero," Rico announced. "In fact, quite a few don't see you as that, quite the opposite."

"You know, I'm really getting that," Harper spoke with tiredness, then regretted speaking as he saw Rico's reaction, Kane's kid brother had none of his elder siblings calmness.

"You dare to speak, after everything else you've done?" Rico loudly asked with amazement.

"Rico, please, stop this," Dani tried one final time to get through.

Instead, Rico paused and turned to Dani, amused by her concern and he glanced between her and Harper, moving close to Dani. "I can smell him all over you, you should be more careful," Rico said with suggestion, and he lightly brushed her face. "I guess your days of being Yussuf's play thing will be over the minute he learns you've been getting it on with that vile piece of trash, oh your days will be numbered, Dani, and not a moment too soon."

"He already knows, and we're still here," Dani defiantly declared, but realised by Rico's reaction that she hadn't helped matters.

"Is that so?" Rico smiled, and it carried a more sinister look now. "The two kludges, together, right under Yussuf's nose and he knows all about it?" Rico then turned to Harper. "You save Yussuf's life and you take his pet?" he questioned. "What, does that make you two even or something?" he questioned Harper now. "You're just a stinking kludge!" Rico then exploded and swiftly kicked Harper in the stomach, and watched as the human doubled over in pain. "Did you save his life so he'd let you have his pet, huh?" Rico then asked, and delivered another kick to Harper's middle, and Harper struggled for breath now as he writhed on the floor, clutching his middle.

Dani momentarily closed her eyes and when she opened them, Rico was stood before her. "You make my stomach turn," he sneered towards her.

"Funny," Dani said with defiance. "Whenever you used to come by my place before you never had a problem with me," she hinted, and there were various hushed voices amongst the gathered people.

Rico moved in close, and he put his hand on the back of Dani's head quickly, before she could shirk away and he got a tight grip on the back of her skull. "When I was with you, I was with you only to defy our leader, laughing at him behind his back, so don't flatter yourself, kludge, I was laughing at Yussuf, while I made out with his pet," Rico grinned. "But now," his grin soon disappeared. "You've really lowered your standards, and it repels me to even touch you now, Dani."

"That started when I agreed to go with you," Dani sneered back and Rico wasted no time in back handing Dani across the face.

Harper desperately wanted to do something, but he had no breath in his body on which to call on, as he desperately tried to recover his breathing. Still clutching his stomach, Harper was struggling to push himself up with the use of only one good hand.

"You know what's wrong with this room?" Rico then declared extravagantly. "Too many damn kludges!" he answered.

He received vocal support for his words, and then Rico grabbed Dani and pulled her close to him, his hands all over her without care. "You are not one of us, Dani, you may have your own slave but now you tell us he's more than that, you are a poor example of a Yussuf pride member," Rico declared. "But don't worry, I'm not stupid, I know there's only one kludge in this room I can touch, if I wish to keep my head."

"You kill me or you kill him, both will result in your head," Dani corrected him. "He owes the kludge his life, and you know Yussuf is a proud man."

"I'm not stupid, Dani," Rico returned. "And who said anything about killing, I just want to give you a lesson on how to look after your slave."

"I don't need a lesson," Dani stated, but it was clear that Rico was no longer listening to her as he pushed her away, and she now watched helplessly as Rico pulled Harper roughly to his feet.

"I want a beer, kludge," Rico demanded.

Harper was only regaining his breath back but he was aware enough to understand the order and he began to move towards the crates, as he moved he suddenly felt his feet come away from under him and he crashed back down to the floor, barely able to protect his injured hand in time.

Around him, Harper could only hear laughter, and he realised that Yussuf had easily tripped him. Harper once again struggled to get back to his feet and now each time he nearly accomplished it, Rico found a way to send him back to the floor, and Harper continued to hear the laughter all around him, he was the entertainment once again.

"Here's your stupid beer."

Harper had heard Dani, and guessed she had retrieved the beer to try and save him further humiliation. For a moment it seemed to have work as Harper was left alone, but it was short lived. Suddenly Harper felt himself being pushed onto his back, and then the stinging sensation in his eyes, and he worked hard to protect himself, as Rico stood over him pouring his beer over Harper's face. Eventually Harper stopped struggling and even managed to catch some of the refreshment.

"I thought this was suppose to be a party," Rico then announced and the music once again blared out, and Harper finally realised he was no longer the centre of attention, and he slowly sat up.

Dani was quickly by his side, and helped him the rest of the way up to his feet. Harper then noticed the bloody nose that Dani was sporting and she quickly tried to wipe the blood away, seeing his attention drawn to it.

"Go play host," Harper simply said, attempting to push Dani away.

"I want to make sure you're ok," Dani insisted.

"Don't make this worse that it already is," Harper stressed, keeping his voice low and he could see that Rico was looking over at them. "Just forget about me and do what hosts do," he stated and moved away towards the serving area.

Harper reached the counter in the serving area, and he had seen that Dani had reluctantly chosen to mingle with her guests. Harper used the time he now had to stretch his aching muscles, and he could feel that at least of couple of his ribs were cracked, and didn't want to know what further damage that was causing to his already injured lungs. Harper was at least grateful that he still had no feeling in his hand, but he could see the bandage was slowly turning red, and he tried to focus on recovering his breath instead.

An uber came into the serving area, and just glared at Harper. The burly man pointed to a beer and Harper attempted to serve it with one hand, but it was clear that it wasn't going to be easy. When the uber felt he was taking too long, Harper found his head forced down onto the counter, and held there by a strong Nietzschean hold.

Without a word the uber took his beer and he then pushed Harper's head down once more against the counter he left the serving area, and Harper to nurse yet another bruise. Harper closed his eyes for a second, and he just wanted the world to open up and swallow him whole.

Three more ubers now entered the serving area and Harper quickly retrieved three cans of beer, this time not even attempting to open them. He just wanted the ubers to leave him in peace for just one minute so he could gather his thoughts, and get his composure back to be prepared for whatever else Rico would throw at him.

The ubers took the beer and looked as though they were about to leave when the tallest of the three grabbed Harper's neck, and squeezed it with ease, catching the human by surprise. Harper instinctively brought his hands up to the ubers and the shock was still clear in his expression, as he tried to pull on the hold a little to ease the restriction, but there was no let up from the Nietzschean.

The ubers just grinned in the face of Harper's struggle for air, as his face turned red and his oxygen levels dissipated. Kicking his legs now, Harper realised they weren't even touching the floor and if this uber wanted, he could probably snap his neck in two without any effort and that thought scared Harper enough to make him start panicking. He may have become a slave, Harper considered, the one thing he always promised himself he would never be, but there was no way in hell that he was going to let himself die as a slave, but at that moment it seemed as though he would die, and now all Harper could think of was dying as a failure and it drained him of the fight, and of his energy as it sapped slowly away by the hand of the uber who grinned back at him.

With so many of his fears being realised at once, Harper's desperation turned to despair, as the reality of the situation really kicked in. He couldn't breath now, there was nothing left and he saw dark spots in his vision as his panic burned at his adrenaline, and his already suffered lungs finally seemed to be giving up on him. At what seemed the last possible moment the pressure was realised and Harper slumped to the floor in a daze, and it took his senses a moment before he started to gulp the precious air back into his body, and then began to cough uncontrollably for a moment.

By the time he was aware again of his surroundings, the ubers and their beer were already gone, leaving Harper to remain on the floor, and continue to take big gulps of air as he tried to recover, and tried not to contemplate just how close he had just come to his death, it was then that Harper realised that a part of him had begun to welcome it, to want it. Curling up on the floor for comfort, the realisation had shaken him, and now Harper battled with his thoughts and emotions, and he just hoped it would all be over soon, one way or another he just wanted it to end.

TBC