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A World Apart by Dark Spartan
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A World Apart Prologue
Date: 5 July 2003, 3:59 AM
A World Apart (Prologue)
Earth
August 28 2513
0508 hrs UNSC Military Time
New York City
The night was clear and the sun still hadn't risen over the horizon. The ground glistened with dew and the streetlights emitted their eirie luminance. Early morning traffic creeped through the streets. Horns blaring, shouting, cursing, mugging...it was humanity.
At Wendenburg Memorial hospital an ambulance screamed to a halt, sirens wailing madly. White uniformed personnel rushed a badly injured pregnant woman into the emergency room. In... out... left... right, they wheeled the gurney through the halls filled with other mangled or disfigured bodies. Groans of pain and hysterical shrieks filled the air.
The doctors assigned to the patient hurried after and ushered them into a room all the while bombarding the paramedics with questions. "What happened? What's her condition? Is she stable?" "Jesus Christ! Um... uh...she's another from the attack. We found her under some rubble. She's been babbling something like she was on her way over here to have her baby. Uh... her right leg's completely snapped at the femur and um... her broken ribs seem to have punctured her left lung, uh... she's got bruises all over her stomach and we're afraid the baby may be gone. Her head seems ok but she must've passed out from the pain. She's also probably bleeding like crazy inside somewhere... Ack! That's all we know."
" OK, OK, OK! Good lord this is a fucked up world!" the doctor frantically said. " Get the damn IV's in here! Hurry up! Shit! Gimme' the scalpel we gotta get the baby out now! Look at her, she's turning blue, she's not breathing!" It was true; the woman's face was steadily turning a deep shade of purple. Her chest failed to rise and fall in the normal rhythm that was breathing. The newly inserted heart monitor showed a flat line. Its monotonous beep droned on and on.
" Damnit!" the doctor yelled. " Ok she's gone. We have to save the baby NOW!" The skilled surgeon went to work. Emergency C-sections were a tricky business. One problem was that there wasn't anytime to set up all the helpful instruments, but the main problem was that since you were in such a hurry that you might cut to deep.
The doctor took a deep breath. Time seemed to slow down to a trickle. He looked at the huge knife in his hand. Without thinking the knife cut the woman open. Blood flowed freely all over the operating table. He was unfazed; he had done it a thousand thousand times already. Suddenly time jumped into fast forward as if someone was watching a home movie. His hands flashed through the woman. Crimson flooded the floor. It was like this woman was the stem of the Red Sea.
Finally! He saw the legs. He grabbed and pulled, but not so hard as to break the baby in two. Wait... the baby was caught. Shit! he thought The umbilical chord is around his neck! More blood spewed as he tried to find the head. Aha! There it is! Fuck this is bad! The baby was definitely alive. He was clawing the air and kicking madly. Careful... careful... yes! The chord snapped away and the baby let in his first gasp of fresh air from the world.
* * *
August 12 2512
0508 hrs UNSC Military Time
Locoat could hardly believe his eyes. How was it that he, a low level, had been assigned to the most important military facility in the empire? How was it that he, the lowliest of the Elites was standing guard not more than five paces from the military's top specimen, the lone survivor of years of genetic experimentation? Amazing, simply amazing. The hatching was due any time now and he was supposed to immediately report when the signs began.
He stared at the cryo tube. Its occupant gently floated in the green tinted nutrient liquid. Everything the growing baby needed was contained in the juice. Proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, and whatever else to keep the experiment in top physical condition. All that was yet to see was what this creature could be capable of.
Locoat looked at the monitors showing various readouts of the experiment's condition. Everything seemed normal. The steady beeps of computers echoed in the chamber. The steady breathing of the experiment's respirator was clearly heard. Looking around the approximately thirty by forty foot room he became bored. And why shouldn't he be? He'd been on guard duty for almost eight hours. His shift should be over any minute.
Glancing at the monitors again he noticed something peculiar. The experiment's brainwave activity was a little above normal. The numbers said the activity was at forty-five Kilipecs. Strange, Locoat thought. It's been at forty KP's for my whole shift. On second thought even stranger since at full maturity a normal elite's brain activity was only forty-three KP's.
Suddenly the monitor instantaneously showed fifty KP's. What? How can this happen? It jumped again to fifty-one, fifty-two, fifty-three. Oh shit not now. He looked at the tube. The left hand twitched. Oh no. Why was Locoat suddenly looking in fear? Because that thing's brain activity was higher than that of a full grown elite, because that thing had been kept in the tube longer than it would have taken it to be born, because that thing would have been six years old had it been allowed to be born, because that thing was supposed to be a radical killing machine even at birth, because who knew what the hell that thing would do once it could think for itself? And I'm here with it ... alone.
The hand twitched again. Its eyes fluttered. The readout now said fifty-six KP's. Locoat grabbed the communicator on the wall. " Dr. Malindron, come in. Dr. Malindron!" Malindron's ice cold voice crackled over the radio, " What is it soldier?" " Sir," Locoat's voice gave away his nervousness as the beeps of the computers went wild, " Experiment zero-nine-nine's brain activity is now at fifty-six KP's and rising fast! I think he's waking up!" " Ok, just hold on soldier, we'll be there as fast as we can!"
I sure hope that's real quick, Locoat thought to himself. A minute passed. Oh shit, where are they? He turned to look at the creature. Locoat froze in horror; staring back at him was a pair of red eyes with black pupils. They're glowing... time seemed to freeze as Locoat stared back. He couldn't budge; each limb seemed to have cement blocks attached to it. The weight of fear... oh gods give me strength. The eyes never moved, never blinked, only pierced his soul with their ghostly stare.
Locoat glanced at the monitor. Oh my god... the monitor showed an unearthly seventy-five kp's. He looked back. Those eyes hadn't moved at all. Oh god where are they? Another minute passed. It seemed like eternity.
Finally, he heard footsteps running down the corridor leading to the room. The eyes moved to the door. The creature must have heard the noise as well. But how, he's in the tube? No sooner had Locoat thought this that the creature began stripping itself of IV attachments and the monitor detectors. Oh shit! Locoat sprinted to the door leaving the monstrosity ferociously tearing at itself to get off the chords.
Locoat opened the door to see Dr. Malindron whizzing down the hall on his levitating wheelchair. He was of the Jackilian race and he was so old it was impossible to believe. His entourage consisted of four black ops Elites, the best of the best. He may even have had a stealth man following as extra precaution.
As they approached him Locoat turned to check on the creature. But it was nowhere to be found. Nutrient liquid flooded the floor from a huge hole in the broken plexiglass. Ssssssssssssrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiippppppppppppppppp!
"AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" Locoat screamed as he was sliced in half at the waist by a sinister claw.
Malindron saw Locoat paint the floor purple as his halves exploded blood. A black blur shot past his cart. He turned to find the elite to his left squirting blood from a crater in his chest. The elite behind him let out a guttural yell as he fell to the floor clutching the streaming stumps that used to be his legs. Suddenly a transparent thud hit Malindron's hovercraft. As the cloak dematerialized he smiled evilly. The blank eyes of the elite stared up at him while his body was pointing in the complete opposite direction. He turned back and noticed two giant holes in the wall with sticky blue blood dripping down the sides. He assumed that the remaining Elites of his were inside those holes having been horribly mangled.
The hall was dead silent save the steady hum of Malindron's small craft. He scanned the area. No sign of experiment zero-nine-nine anywhere. He barely heard the soft landing of the creature behind him. He turned around to find his vision full of a bright green light. " Perfection."
The last thing Malindron saw was a flash of green.
A World Apart Ch. 1
Date: 17 July 2003, 12:04 AM
A World Apart Chapter One
Earth
October 7 2517
2237 hrs UNSC Military Time
New York City
Sual scoped the street. No police. He stepped out trying to look as calm as he could. Luckily for him it was pelting rain so that someone might mistake his shivers for being cold. He pretended to slip into the gutter. Freezing chills went up his spine as the water rushed over him. How else was he supposed to wash the sticky red blood off himself? The blood mixed with the water creating a red pool for a brief moment before being swept away.
" Hey, kid, you ok?" a deep voice shouted though the torrent behind. Saul froze deathly still. What if it was a cop? He was no match for a full-grown man, ten year olds sure, but not a man. He turned slowly and looked up. Oh man! Sure enough a burly blue and white uniformed peacekeeper towered over him.
Looking up at the man Saul could hardly believe how big he was. His white armor stretched over his chest and midsection. His boots were lost under the churning water and his deep blue spandex suit was nearly invisible in the gloom of the night. His jet black visor covered his eyes and the only thing showing from under is white helmet was his mouth. Saul took a quick glance at the weapon the man was holding. He groaned inwardly. The man was carrying the new issue SAG12 rifle in his hands, the biggest gun allowed to non-military. Saul guessed that he had to be at least six and a half feet tall. No doubt he was in great shape judging by the way his muscles were clearly distinguishable through his uniform.
The man's face moved slightly. His visor must have given him the picture and information on who Saul was. " Hey, kid, I'm gonna need y-HEY!" Saul was running, running as fast as his legs could carry him. No way he could outrun his pursuer, his only chance was to trick him and find a hiding place. He turned back into the alley from whence he had come. Feet splashing through the flood he could hear his pursuer quickly closing the distance between them. The man was speaking into his radio implanted into the helmet. Saul could hear it clearly; the man was calling for backup. And he'd better too, what with the record Saul had amassed in the past year.
Saul knew all the back streets of New York by heart now. He cut a corner quickly, back into the street. The crowds going to the night shifts clogged the streets. He hit the crowd just as the man caught up to him. He dodged left and right trying desperately to get lost in the crowd. The man kept falling farther and farther behind. At last he burst through the other side of the mob... right into the waiting arms of the backup police.
Saul dove down as if his life depended on it, which ironically was most likely the case. Spraying water in his wake Saul slid under the surprised man's legs. " Hey!" the man yelled. But Saul was much to busy avoiding his other accomplice. Back into the crowd. This way, that way, it was a race to Old Central City Park. Sual's hideout had yet to be found by anyone, save the bugs that also took refuge there.
Cops seemed to swarm the streets. It seemed that one was around very corner; or had they been there before and he just hadn't noticed them? It didn't matter now; the only thing that did was getting to his safe house. He dared a look back. The cops were catching up fast, the stragglers still going through the late night traffic. Looking ahead he was at the park gates. He slammed into them only to be violently hurled back by a giant electrical shock.
What? Had they been planning this? He groaned and darted to the right noticing through peripheral vision that the nearest enforcer was just under a football field's length away. He had to hurry. Yes! His vine was still hanging over the wall. He grabbed it hoping that it too wasn't rigged with electricity. Nothing. He quickly scaled the vine and climbed as far as he dared up the tree. The cops were at the wall, searching. They scattered looking for him, but they didn't touch the gate. They must know it's electrified, Saul thought to himself.
When he judged the coast clear he climbed down the tree and jumped softly to the ground. He quickly moved through the shadows, paying extra special attention to the gravel. He heard voices and dove into some bushes. As he peaked out he saw two policemen walking by. " Why are we looking for this kid anyway Pete? I mean, he's just a kid. What can he do?" one of the patrolman asked. " Are you tellin' me that you've never heard of this kid Saul? He's been on the run for over a year and the force hasn't been able to catch him since..." the voices faded as the guards moved away.
What in the world is going on? As stealthily as Saul could manage he climbed from the bush and made his way deeper into the park. Over the years the park had become neglected by the outside world and now was quite literally a small forest in its own respect. Saul was now out of range of the street lamps so he had to feel and remember the path to his home.
He looked around to try and discern if anyone could have possibly seen him. He saw nothing so he stopped. He was now in-between four large pine trees. Taking one last look around he reached down into the pine straw and pulled up a trap door and quickly plunged himself down the hole and slowly lowering the door once again.
The small room was deathly silent. Saul flipped the light switch and suddenly it was bright as day. As he took a step forward Saul heard a small snap behind him. " Hello, Saul." Then the world went black.
* * *
October 7 2517
2237 hrs UNSC Military Time
Jarek looked in the mirror, looked at his massive physique. The physicians told him he stood at five feet six inches tall and weighed about one hundred eighty-three pounds, whatever that meant. All Jarek knew was that he was considerably smaller than all of the other commandos at Kuk'Tat Elite Training Facility, or as the others liked to call it, the K.E.T.F. He smiled at his thought. Though he was the smallest on the base no one could touch him. He looked at his five-foot tail grinning. Six razor sharp ridges stood up from his pebbled skin. His hands had opposable thumbs and three fingers each, while his feet splayed three powerful toes in front and one behind. His head was like that of a snake. Powerful jaws filled with more than enough serrated teeth. His eyes glowed a bright red with pure black centers. Down his back ran more razor protrusions. His muscled bulged as if the were trying to escape from his jet-black skin. Overall Jarek would describe himself to be like the lizards found in the swamp near the base...except he was a lot more deadly.
The intercom in Jarek's room crackled as the hollow voice of the commander came on the air. " Jarek, you are to report to the mess to receive your food ration immediately."
Jarek's stomach rumbled at the thought of food. " Hhhhhhhsssssshhhhhhhhh..." Jarek hissed to no one. He hated walking down the halls to wherever he was going on the base. He hated those eyes, everyone staring at him, an outcast. He preferred the darkness and solitude. The air vents provided just what he liked. He jumped at the wall, the claws on his feet and hands digging in. He grabbed the grate over the air duct and tore it off slipping through.
Echoes reverberated through the ventilation ducts as he made his way to the lunchroom. This was the fast way around base, no traffic, just cut down the main shaft and there you were, access to all rooms with an air vent. He arrived at the mess hall and scanned the area. All eyes in the room seemed to turn to his vent, they must have heard him or were expecting him. How was he supposed to keep quiet on those hollow metal sheets that comprised of the air vent structure? He silently lifted the lid and crawled out into the shadows of the corner. All the eyes of the room followed him as he went, his own red glowing orbs must have been giving him away. He could smell the nervousness of the soldiers looking at him.
He strode out of the shadows looking from eye to eye. He let out a small growl and they turned away back to their meals, pretending to ignore him. Jarek knew though that as he passed each table, each person, they looked upon him with eyes of hatred. He raised his tail higher over his head to give an impression of anger, as if he would slice open the person neares at any moment. All the eyes hurriedly turned away. Every person knew what his tail could do, and no one wanted to be the recipient of a fatal blow.
Jarek took his place in the corner of the room where his meal lay. He grimaced at the sight. His food was cut up into slabs with no bones. He hated it that way, he always liked to crunch on the bones. He got down on all fours and snatched up a chunk of meat. He scanned the room, the morsel lingering in his mouth, draping out the sides. Many were staring at him, but those that knew better averted their attention. Narrowing his eyes at them he swallowed it whole in one big gulp. Some of them shuddered and looked away, other kept goggling at him.
He hated how they always watched him, never ceasing. He bared his teeth at them, staring back, not into their eyes but at their armor. How weak the Elakians were. They had to have metal armor and energy shields to protect themselves in battle. He on the other hand had nothing, no armor, no clothes, nothing. He didn't even carry a weapon into battle. Why should he need one? He was to fast for the enemy to hit, and he had all he needed with his teeth, claws, and tail. They were simply playthings in his world. They sported their new model plasma weapons and boasted of their prowess in the training facility, yet when they came up against Jarek they were consumed by fear. They were no match for him.
Jarek lowered his head, keeping his eyes on them, and picked up another chunk of meat. Slowly, then faster his skin began to change. He steadily began to blend in with the wall's color behind him. Another one of his genetic talents, the ability to completely disappear in any environment by blending into the scenery. Now all the soldiers, turned away, paying careful attention to not look back. What was the use for looking at something that was virtually invisible, and on second thought, why anger a creature with the ability to rip you to shreds while you couldn't even see it.
Jarek decided to finish his meal in the solitude of his own chamber. He had been given his own quarters on the account that no one knew what he would do next. They were all afraid that he would kill everyone in the barracks in their sleep if he were allowed to stay there. So quietly Jarek climbed the nearby wall, all the way up to the ceiling and crossed the room, his blood red eyes staring down anyone that dared try and spot him. He reached the other side of the room and noiselessly entered the ventilation ducts.
A World Apart Ch. 2
Date: 21 July 2003, 8:42 PM
--note to readers--
Hey, seeing as that I'm still in high school and I'm on the football team, things may slow down a little as camp comes up and school starts. So bear with me if the chapters don't come out as fast as you would like. Unfortunately, I'm also a slow typer, so that doesn't help anything. But anyway thanks for your comments. Speaking of which here is a note to Dispraiser and Neco Divad. I came up with the creature "Jarek" on my own accord. I havn't read "Stowaway", and to tell the truth I didn't know it exhisted until now. So if you guys want you can post a comment or e-mail me (gkahn40@yahoo.com) about "Stowaway" and the "AEs" that would be cool. And to answer another question, yes "Jarek" is with the Covenant". He is a genetic experiment. He is not one of the species of any of the known Covenant. He is the only one of his kind and since he is so powerful he is an outcast among the Covenant he is stationed with. Phew! That was a lot of typing. Hope you like chapter two.
Dark Spartan
--end note--
A World Apart Chapter Two
En Route to Planet Reach
October 8 2517
1126 hrs UNSC Military Time
Darkness, swimming, floating, unreachable consciousness. Saul couldn't find himself in the gloom. He was utterly lost. Saul's eyelids seemed to weigh a ton each. They just wouldn't open no matter how hard he tried. His arms wouldn't budge; his feet wore iron shoes. Was he sitting in a chair? Yes, that must be it, why his chin was embedded in his chest, why he couldn't lift his head. He was drugged, that was the only explanation.
" Saul..." a surreal voice echoed. " Saul..." the voice was a long way away. He felt a prickle on his arm. Immediately he could fell his imaginary shackles being lifted. His thoughts were now clearer. " Thank you, Private, you're dismissed." Saul could now hear the voice loud and clear, it was a womanly voice, worn by the ages...very worn. Saul opened his eyes. In front of him was an elderly woman.
She wore large round glasses, wrinkles covered her face. Her hair was almost fully white save a few small patches of brown. He squinted his eyes against the white of the labcoat she was wearing; he had not yet adjusted to the light. He looked around, noticing that he and the woman were in a very small room. Behind him was a solid steel barrier and on either side a large mirror that covered the whole wall. Several feet behind the woman was a steel door with what seemed like an electronic padlock. And in front of the woman, a large wooden desk with a fairly big manila folder resting on it.
" Hello, Saul," the woman said. Saul only stared at her, into her cold blue eyes. " I bet you're wondering why you're here, who I am, why you were caught in Central City Park. Am I right, Saul?" Saul made no physical response, only blinking his eyes, continuously staring. Although he had indeed been wondering these things since he had regained consciousness.
The woman opened the folder before her and began reading. " Saul. Age: four. Sex: male. Skin: Caucasian. Hair Color: brown. Eye Color: gray. Height: four feet, zero inches. Weight: sixty-eight pounds. Born: August 28 2513. Place of Birth: Wendenburg Memorial Hospital, New York City, United States of America, Earth. Current Place of Residence: unknown...well not now anyway." The woman looked up from the folder and directly into Saul's smoky eyes.
" Saul," the woman said as she removed her glasses. " For the past two months you've been allowed to stay in your home in City Park by our good graces. What did you think, Saul? That you could run forever? Despite what you may believe, it was you that led us to your private hideout. Quite ingenious really...electricity, a refrigerator, a bed, small kitchen, electric blanket. Let me guess, one day you stumbled across it about a year ago, and have been living there ever since? Am I right?"
Saul could only nod. How could she know all this? Hadn't he always checked before he'd entered?
" Saul, did you think that we would never find you? That we wouldn't study you?" She looked at the folder again. " Criminal Counts: Eight counts first-degree murder. All local bullies, all between the ages of eight to twelve. No impaled holes, no bullet wounds- entry or exit- and no slashes. Only bruises and impact abrasions. All killed by severe cerebral trauma caused by punches or kicks. You killed them all with your bare hands, Saul."
Saul's eyes twitched slightly. He'd only been giving them what they deserved. Still...he hadn't meant to kill them all. Only one or two. The woman noticed his slight release. She seemed dissatisfied.
" I know why you aren't speaking to me Saul. I know why you never speak to anyone, and I know why you can't speak to anyone. Do you know what happened when you were born?" Saul shook his head. " About three hours before you were born your mother was caught in a terrorist attack. She was walking down the street to the hospital to get her eight and a half month's check up when a car bomb loaded with C4 exploded. Your mother was thrown into a wall and covered with rubble. By the time she was in the hospital she was dead. They did an emergency C-Section to get you out Saul. Everything went fine until the chord wrapped around your neck. When they finally got you out they were wondering why you weren't crying like you should have been." She paused. Saul leaned forward in apprehension.
" The truth is, Saul... is that when the chord wrapped around your neck it crushed your larynx and windpipe. They were able to repair your throat so you could breath but not so you could speak. Any other operation would have killed you, and that holds true to this very day. You're a mute, Saul. You'll never be able to speak."
Sual's eyes were wide, his mouth gaping. He slumped back in his seat, fighting to hold back tears. He looked up, saw the old woman studying him intently. His face flushed and he put on an angry appearance, adding to the effect by crossing his arms over his chest.
The woman smiled cynically, " Your good Saul, one of the best. You know how to survive. But that's only part of the story."
What? How can there possibly be more?
" Saul, your four years old. Normal children at the age of four still haven't even mastered speech. You on the other hand... oh, right, bad example." Saul glared at her through clenched teeth. " Ok, Saul, here's a better one. How are you able to comprehend what I've been saying this whole time when you are only four? How are you so big for your age, and how were you able to survive being born early, not to mention under weight. At birth you weighed four pounds. Four pounds! Most babies barely survive under six pounds, let alone four! How were you at the age of three to four able to outsmart and kill people twice your age and size? How can you explain these things, Saul?"
The answer was that he couldn't, not even if he had been able to speak. How had he survived his birth? How had he been able to kill those people? He remembered that at the orphanage he could never understand why all the other children ran about babbling. Why was he so special?
" The reason is, Saul is because you are not entirely human. You're a hybrid created to be the way you are... the smartest, strongest, and the best there is."
* * *
October 8 2517
1126 hrs UNSC Military Time
The room was dimly lit. Shadows crookedly streaked across the floor from the obstacles that had been set in place earlier. On one side of the room stood the highest ranking Elites at K.E.T.F.; on the other side of the obstacle course was a large flat surface, devoid of anything save air, in about a square kilometer.
" This men," the ranking drill instructor spoke, " Is today's course. You know the drill. Now move it out!" Yeah, Jarek thought. Everyone knows the drill.
The objective of the obstacle course was to run as fast as you could to the other side without getting killed by the automated guns that littered the course, and then fight a hand to hand match with your partner. However no killing was allowed, other than that anything was legal.
Over the past few years Jarek had left many an opponent marred for life. The top brass hated it when he put their best out of commission, but the rules were the rules. None of Jarek's partners had managed to escape without at least a brutal scar, all except Za'Ul. Jarek looked over at him while the first two plunged into the fray. His usual self, Za'Ul was watching quietly. He was the top soldier of the Special Ops at Kuk'Tat, second only to another halfway across the planet. Whom that was, Jarek didn't know. Za'Ul had been Jarek's partner for twenty-seven days, the longest before him had lasted only two sessions. Jareck almost liked Za'Ul, he gave Jarek at least a little challenge. So Jarek didn't ever maim him, instead he simply rendered him unconscious. Za'Ul always learned from his mistakes though, so that he became a little more interesting every day.
By now the first two combatants were hacking away at each other. Jarek sighed, at this rate it would be at least another half-hour before he would get his turn. He noticed Za'Ul looking at him, studying him, trying to find Jarek's weakness so that he could break his losing streak. Jarek narrowed his eyes and shrank back into the darkness of the shadows, all the while morphing his skin to blend in. Za'Ul continued to look in his direction, concentrating his eyes to train them to find the cloaked Jarek. Jarek crawled up the wall and transferred to the ceiling until he was directly above his opponent. The ceiling was twenty feet high so Jarek could easily leap from the ground to the ceiling when needed or vice versa. Za'Ul continued to stare at the shadows where Jarek had been until he looked back at the races, convinced that Jarek would never wait that long in one place.
When it finally came Jarek and Za'Ul's turn, all the remaining warriors who hadn't been knocked out watched with ever increasing interest. This was always the best fight of the day. The spectators noticed that Jarek did not camouflage himself as he usually did, he slowly made his way to the starting line. The course was not separated into two parts, but instead both participants shared one large path. Jarek, on all fours ready to spring forward, and Za'Ul in a sprinters stance. The crowd hushed, the starter raised his arm, "GO!"
Jarek disappeared, Za'Ul took off after him. The spectators could barely see black spots where Jarek had just been, Za'Ul slowly making his way through the barrage of plasma. He actually was moving much faster than anyone else on the base, save Jarek who made anyone look like they were in slow motion. Za'Ul sprinted down the runway, jumping boulders, dodging flying plasma, he was an inspiration to all the other Elites. Jarek, still on the ground, was watching as Za'Ul crossed the three-quarters mark. Jarek had been finished even before Za'Ul had crossed the halfway marker. Za'Ul was now very close to the finish line, only about two hundred more meters, he was past all the gun posts, but they were still firing madly at him.
With no way to see the plasma coming from behind Za'UL was running as fast as he could. The last part of the course was dark; the lights had accidentally been shot out during the previous race. He was no in almost total darkness, trying his best not to hit anything. He was close, within one hundred meters now, sprinting blindly. Stray plasma skipped off his shield. The other Elites were cheering, urging him on. Suddenly their encouragements turned into yells of warning. " Look out, Za'UL! Here they come! Run faster!" Za'Ul couldn't see it but Jarek could.
Dozens of charged shots from the guns were approaching at breathtaking speed. Za'UL heard the warnings and changed course, moving diagonally now. His plan failed, the green orbs changed course, perfectly mirroring him. He didn't have a chance, there were way to many, even if he could dodge a few the remaining would turn him into a burning corpse. The first was approaching fast, fifty feet... twenty...five! It struck Za'Ul square in the back, crushing his shield under the enormous stress. He stumbled, kicking an outcropping rock and pitched forward as the second whizzed just over his head. A third singed his left arm and dissipated on the ground. The others, some three dozen Jarek guessed, were swiftly approaching.
Jarek watched as Za'Ul jumped to his feet and started running again, but Jarek knew that he was going to die unless someone intervened. Eyes blazing desperately, Za'Ul wasn't running like the trained military Elite he was, it was the run of the crazed, the stumbling desperate lank of the one running from deaths edge. The orbs approached, burning intensely, deaths hand in green bolts of pure energy, capable of melting the skin right off your bones. Za'Ul crouched and leaped through the air towards the finish line. He flew farther than any Elite had ever seen, the longest jump in the history of the empire. It didn't seem natural though, he seemed to hang limp as he flew though the air. Just as he passed the energy barrier it harmlessly deflected the blasts.
Za'Ul lay still, face down on the cold metal floor as everyone ran to help. Jarek was nowhere to be seen.
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