(August 24, 2007)
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The banging of his cell door against the wall jerked Brody awake. Blearily he looked up to see Ripcon looming over him. Fear pounding through his veins chased away any remaining drowsiness. He shrank back against the wall in a futile effort to give himself some space.
Ripcon snarled something, but his words were unintelligible. He repeated the phrase and grabbed Brody by the arm, hauling him out of the room. The fetters on his ankles didn't allow for him to keep pace with Ripcon so he ended up being half dragged along. Brody bit back a whimper. What was going to happen now? And why couldn't he understand what Ripcon said? Ripcon's grating voice rumbled above him and Brody flinched.
"P-please! I don't know what you want!"
The grip on Brody's arm suddenly loosened considerably. Brody stumbled forward, barely catching himself from face planting.
"Please." He whimpered out again, cringing under Ripcon's suspicious gaze.
Ripcon let out a frustrated grunt and started back down the hall, his grip tightening again on Brody. Brody let out a small squeak of fear that went ignored. More halls passed. There was no telling if they were the same ones he'd been through a day before. Had it only been a day? Already it seemed like he'd been on the ship for an eternity.
Ripcon yanked him to a stop near an arched doorway. He typed on a keypad on the wall. A small hatch popped open, making Brody jump. Snatching something from inside Ripcon spun Brody so he was perpendicular to Ripcon's body. Brody got a glimpse of metal before Ripcon jabbed the thing into the skin behind his left ear. Yelping in surprise more than pain, Brody stumbled back through the open doorway. Unable to catch his balance he fell hard onto his hands and knees.
"The boy as you requested." Brody whipped his head up toward Ripcon, his words once again intelligible.
Brody braced himself on his knees and reached his bound hands up to find a small circular device stuck just above his neck. Leather squeaked, breaking Brody's confused tactile exploration. Slowly he lifted his eyes.
Galvanax stared down at Brody in the smug confidence of one who has all the power and knows it. "That is the rightful position of a slave."
His perch on the raised dais gave him a front row seat to the boy's humiliation. The bruises on Brody's face and peeking out from under his disheveled shirt only accented the effect. Brody had no idea what was going on but he gritted his teeth and defiantly shoved himself to his feet.
"You have spirit." Galvanax sounded mildly amused. "But that won't get you far here."
Brody said nothing. Unperturbed Galvanax gestured to his side. His attention having been focused on Galvanax, Brody now saw the crystal sitting next to Galvanax's chair. Odius stood next to it on the far side.
Propped upright on a flatbed cart, the crystal had lost some of its luster. In the week it had been at the Romero's house Brody had never seen it so still. There was no soft humming, no subtle movement, it wasn't even holding itself upright. It might have been his imagination, but its crystalline surface appeared duller. Even though Brody now wished the crystal had never landed in his yard, a pang still went through him at its lack of life.
"Your father was the first one in centuries to be able to pull out the Nexus Star from. Why the Nexus Prism would choose a puny human is beyond me. However, it may be the Prism will let you take the stars as it did your father." Galvanax leaned forward, "Bring them to me now."
Brody shook at both the mention of his father and the implication of what Galvanax wanted. 'I can't. They said he'll be unstoppable. A ninja doesn't give in.'
"N-no. I-I won't." Brody hated the stutter that tumbled out with his words.
"You are now my slave and you will do what I command!" Galvanax roared.
"No." It was a whisper but it came out just the same.
"Ripcon! Show him what happens when my slaves won't obey."
Brody flinched. He didn't know what Galvanax would do, but he couldn't let Galvanax achieve invincibility. Not by his hand at least.
A crackle came from behind him. Before he could turn fire exploded through his body. Yelling in pain and shock, Brody collapsed. Black spots filled his vision and his ears rang.
Several long minutes passed before the pain subsided enough for him to properly catch his breath. Even then everything still hurt, especially his wrists where the metal chains amplified the electricity's effect against his skin. A quick glance behind him showed one of the weird blue robots with an electrified spear standing next to Ripcon, while another stood near the doorway.
"I do not make requests slave." Galvanax spat. "Get the Stars for me!"
Brody sat on the ground, his brain sluggishly processing Galvanax's words. When he didn't move Galvanax motioned to the robot. It moved toward the boy, spear extended.
Fear of another shock gave Brody the strength to stand. He backed away from the robot, inadvertently moving in the direction of the Nexus Prism. 'He can't get them, he can't! But they'll keep shocking me. So far no one other than dad's been able to reach inside. . .' Outwardly appearing to give in, Brody turned towards the Nexus Prism.
Too quietly for those surrounding him to hear Brody whispered, "I know you let Dad take your Star out. I don't know if you'd let me or not, but please, please don't let me get through."
The sharp hiss of electricity behind him caused Brody to jump.
"Do it now slave!" Galvanax's voice left no room for argument.
Slowly Brody reached out towards the crystal. An inch away he paused, held his breath, and closed the distance.
A cool smooth surface greeted his fingers. Limbs shaking with relief Brody leaned against the crystal with both hands planted on the covering. Even Galvanax couldn't deny that the crystal was not opening for the boy.
Growling in frustration, he motioned the robots toward Brody. "Take him back to his cell."
None too gently the robots yanked Brody away from the Nexus Prism. Staring at it over his shoulder, he could have sworn he saw the red star glow momentarily. As the robots dragged him through the halls of the ship his mind was whirling. 'Is it possible it heard me? What could the light mean? If it was a light. . .' He shook his head.
The important thing was, for the moment, the Nexus Stars were still safely out of Galvanax's reach.
As soon as the boy was out of the room Galvanax let out an angered growl. "So much for your great idea Odius."
She shrugged. "Yet we know he can't reach in. There's no threat of him bonding with any of the Stars and stealing your prize."
"As if I'd ever let him near the Prism again."
"Noted, but if he were to somehow find himself near it, there's nothing he can do with it. Especially with him being as small as he is."
"As small as he is. . ." Galvanax's voice trailed off. A cruel smile crept across his face. "I think I know how he can best serve this ship."
Down in the cell blocks Brody was shoved to the floor, the impact jarring his battered body. He lay still as the door slammed shut behind the guards, the sound echoing for several seconds. Gingerly pulling himself upright, Brody hugged his knees to his chest and looked around. Last night- or whatever space equivalent- he'd been too physically and emotionally drained to pay much attention to his cell and what he saw didn't exactly lift his spirits.
The initial assessment that it was a little room still held, it wasn't even a third of the size of his bedroom on Earth. Lengthwise the gray walls allowed room to lay down with a little room to spare, but Brody figured he could reach out and touch both side walls at the same time if his hands were free.
A ratty blanketed mat and pillow he hadn't noticed before were tossed in the corner. A bucket sat in the opposite corner. Brody tried not to think about what that was for.
His stomach growled loudly, a painful reminder that he hadn't eaten anything since lunch the day before. Though without the sun's presence it was hard to tell exactly how much time had passed. Brody pushed against his stomach trying to relieve some of the pangs. It didn't really help but it was something to do.
'What's going to happen to me now? Are they just going to leave me here to waste away or come up with something for me to do?' Brody tried to rub the goosebumps rising on his arms but the clinking chains didn't allow the movement. He stared at the cuffs, their weight pressing into his mind that he was now owned by someone else.
Brody squeezed his eyes shut, trying to fight the tears threatening to fall. 'Dad what am I supposed to do? How- How do I go from here? I have nothing except my gi. I'm in space. . .' Brody's thoughts began to spiral. The door in front of him wavered and the throb of his heartbeat pounded in Brody's ears. Drawing in even a single breath required every ounce of energy he possessed.
Though unsubmerged Brody felt himself drowning. There was no lifesaver to hold, no anchor to keep him steady. He was completely and utterly alone. In that moment Brody half wondered if he would die alone right there.
Inexplicably, in his panicked state, a memory stirred of the first time Brody had the wind knocked out of him while sparring. Dane had knelt over him as Brody struggled for air.
"Focus on me Brody. Breathe in and out. In and out." Dane commanded.
'In and out. In and out.' The words cut into his mind. Brody grasped them with the little mental strength he had left. 'In and out. In and out.'
Slowly the world stopped turning. Brody found himself laying on his back covered in sweat. He tried to sit up but the simple movement made his head swim. Allowing his head to fall back, Brody stared at the ceiling. 'In and out. One breath at a time.'
When Brody could no longer hear his heartbeat he tried to sit up again. This time he made it. 'One breath at a time, one day at a time.' Brody clenched his jaw, he would not give in to despair. He looked at his cuffs again. Anger replaced the earlier feeling of helplessness. He had a sudden burst of inspiration.
Taking the edge of his cuff he scraped it against the wall until a little line showed. 'Galvanax may have me here, but he won't make me forget where I'm from. Not if I can help it.'