Thrax

Chapter 10

When Vendass and another Scodax officer came with two androids to his cell, Thrax allowed them to remove him from behind the force field and made no move to attack them.  “Remember,” said Vendass, “your mate’s life depends upon your full cooperation.  You will be brought unbound to the duel, as befits an honored warrior.  The consequences of any resistance will be upon her.”

Thrax remained stoic in the face of this repeated threat against Agena.  He gave no reaction, not even a frown, as Vendass and his comrade and the two armed androids led him off.  But in his mind, he looked over his captors carefully, guessing where all the nerves and arteries must be on the Scodax and where all the vital components and functions must be on the automatons; assessing where he would strike, if he could, to do the maximum damage and ensure death or terminal shutdown.  Depending on what unfolded, he might have his chance.

The aliens led him to a large, open chamber at whose far end was a portal that occupied an entire wall.  Thrax guessed that this must have been originally intended as a cargo bay or perhaps a docking bay for the Scodax attack craft.  Armed androids were stationed in two corners of the space and at either end of a row of tiered seats.

 In the viewport of that portal, Thrax saw a view of the most populous continent of Lacerta, where Silverwing was.  Seeing his home outside the port reminded him of the other cause for which he would do battle today.  If these creatures truly believed they could humble Lacerta and its Knights, the wrath of dragons would teach them better.

Thrax turned his attention to the row of tiered seats that took up one side of the chamber, where members of the Scodax crew sat watching.  Thrax noted that it was not the kind of bustling throng that had attended the Lottery back in Silverwing where he was paired with Agena.  If their Captain were truly going to do battle with a dragon, the ship’s crew should have turned out by the hundreds, not the dozens.

 Conceivably, the majority of the crew could not leave their stations and would be watching remotely from other parts of the ship.  That was logical.  And yet, Thrax could not help but suspect that the sparse attendance of this duel must mean something else.  The thought gnawed at his mind that there was some critical thing about the Scodax that he did not know, which would make all the difference in the battle against them.

 From the fact that he could not see it, he guessed it was something as obvious as it was important.  The obvious things were always the easiest to overlook.

Vendass ordered Thrax to stand at a spot near the center of the chamber.  He and the other officer moved off to take places at the head of the seating.  The two androids marched to one side of the space and took positions on either side of a door.  The door slid open and out stepped Amlax, dressed in only the bottom of his uniform.  Thrax could barely hide his disgust at this creature, not only for the harm he had done to Lacerta and his threat against Agena’s life, but for the mere sight of him.  His cracked gray skin, the feature he shared in common with all the other Scodax that Thrax had seen, made him look as if he were turning to a fossil while still alive. 

And at this, the Knight began to wonder.  He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes with a glimmer of realization.  Perhaps he actually had been looking into the face of the truth from the moment he first set eyes on Amlax.  There must be a reason for their condition—and that could well be why so few of them were present now.

Amlax strode toward the center of the chamber and took a position a few paces in front of Thrax.  “Sir Thrax Helmer of Lacerta,” he said in a ceremonial tone, “you now face me, Amlax, Captain of the Scodax Armada, in a duel to establish Scodax supremacy.  You will battle well and be treated as an honored foe upon your defeat.  Thus, we return to you your weapon.”

At the sound of metal footfalls behind him, Thrax turned and saw two more androids entering the chamber, one carrying Thrax’s powerblade and the other carrying a long, thick metallic staff.  In spite of his discipline, Thrax’s heart raced at the sight of his weapon.  He’d be dealing justice with it today.  The android marched up to Thrax and extended the weapon for him to take.  Thrax took it from the automaton’s hand and let it march off to the door through which it came. 

The other new arrival walked to Amlax and handed him the metal staff.  When the alien Captain took this object from it, the automaton marched away to join its companion.  Amlax announced, “We shall energize weapons and begin at the sound of the clarion.  Weapons shall be set at moderate charge, strong enough to immobilize, not to slay.  When you fall, Sir Knight, you will live to serve the Scodax.”

Thrax spoke up: “Amlax, before we begin, have I the right to speak as an honored foe?”

At this, a bustling murmur welled up from the seated spectators, the first sound that Thrax had heard from them since he arrived.  It was the noise of hoots and whoops from a crowd excited by sport, eager to see two combatants land blows and strike pain into each other, anxious to see one fall and one stand triumphant.  It sickened Thrax a bit, but he’d be damned if he would let them see the way he felt.  He was a Knight, not a gladiator.

Amlax nodded.  “Speak, Sir Knight, and know that we are now being seen and heard across the face of Lacerta.”

Of that I have no doubt, Thrax quietly acknowledged.  Aloud, he said, “Amlax, I ask you to put an end to this pointless charade.  As a Knight, I know that there is no honor in a battle needlessly fought, in pain needlessly inflicted, blood needlessly spilled.  For all the horror that you have brought to my world, the people of Lacerta may still be willing to sit and talk, to learn more about you.  We may still be willing to learn of your origins, your needs, and your reasons for doing as you do.  There may still be time and opportunity to reach an understanding.  Tell me that we may all lay down our weapons on both sides, put aside the violence, and talk to one another.  Is this not a better course than needless, costly conflict?”