The Gladiators. Part II

Posted on Wed 1st Mar, 2023 @ 8:25am by Sorra Yarime (Yari) & S'lani
Edited on on Thu 2nd Mar, 2023 @ 2:41am

1,417 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Neither Yours Nor Mine
Location: Secret location of the Slaver's Guild
Timeline: MD:3 1430 Hours

Since being the vigilante down in the Brown Sector, Yari's favorite weapon were sticks. He had trained with them for months before using them to dispense justice and now he was forced to use them to survive at least he felt better to think so.

The hum of the force field that kept him in the holding area reminded him not to try and exit before it was deactivated. To do so would give him an agonizing shock of energy that would overwhelm his nervous system after the pain.

Once the hum went silent it was time for him to go to work. He walked into the arena and was nearly overwhelmed by the sound of cheers, it was deafening. He looked straight across the floor to see his opponent a rather large, green Orion called Brock. The cheering died down as the announcer began, "It the Green corner is the champion at 180 kilos, Brock!" The crowd went wild after hearing his name. "And in the Red corner at 85 kilos, Yadi!" The crowd went wild once more. "That's Yari!" Yari yelled out even though no one could hear him.

"There is only one rule, the one standing is the winner!" The crowd went wild again and the bell sounded for the start of the match. Yari gripped the sticks tightly as he cautiously approached his formidable-looking foe. The sticks clacked against each other as blows were parried, barely heard over the cheers that came from the crowd.....

Yari was half carried back to their cell, beaten, battered, and bloodied. Barely conscious he was helped to his bed. He nodded a thank you to the young man that had assisted him. He leaned back down into his bed with a groan.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" S'lani asked quietly. She could tell he wasn't okay. She felt responsible, even though she knew they're being here wasn't her fault. She had to find a way to get them out of this because she doubted either one of them would last long.

Yari grunted, "Not unless you have some painkillers or a dermal regenerator hidden away that I don't know about." He stiffed a chuckle before groaning again.

"No. Anything I did have was taken." She briefly wondered if a mind meld would help, but she wasn't sure it would work. All she did know was that next time, she'd be the one taken out. She couldn't do well, and she couldn't die. She also needed to be healthy enough to keep fighting. That didn't leave her very many options.

"I know." Yari began, "I was just messing with you. You don't have any humor do you." He said rhetorically.

"I have humor," she replied huffily. "I stole it from a merchant on Tambor III."

The door creaked open interrupting their conversation, "I have medical aid for you." A woman said as she entered and was flanked by a large Orion guard that carried an energy weapon of some type. She approached Yari and began to scan him with a Medical probe. It made a high pitch hum as it worked. She wasn't a nurse by any means.

"What are you doing?" S'lani asked, watching the woman work.

"I'm trying to patch him up and get him to 100 percent before his next fight. We don't want him losing too quickly." She said as she continued to work. Her skills were that of a second-year medical student.

"No because that would lose money and the house never loses," S'lani said, a note of cynicism in her voice. "How much patching are you permitted to do?"

"As much as I am able to. Anything that I can't handle gets taken care of by the Doctor. Why do you ask?" She said curiously.

"Because I work for him," S'lani replied quietly. "And I want him to be taken care of. He arrived here wounded and received insufficient medical assistance. It would be illogical to assume that will improve." She inclined her head to the woman. "Thus the request for information." She was careful not to be confrontational or to stir up any resentment.

"Don't worry missy, we will make sure he is taken care of from here on out. Same goes for you. Both of you need to stay in fighting shape." She replied.

S'lani got little assurance from that statement. She just raised an eyebrow in response.

"How do we get out of here?" Yari asked bluntly.

"This is a hole, a poor and underdeveloped word, lacking in technology. It is perfect for hosting such games since here they are cheap to produce and give him the most return. Did you know that there is a gate to the catacombs down the hall just east of here. It uses a key, a real key that you turn and I hear that there is one such key around his neck." She turned off her equipment and put it away. "Good as new." She stood up, "Until next time then?"

Yari nodded, "Can you get me the key?"

"No, no way. I have been captive by this man for two years. I've seen what he is capable of doing to someone that has betrayed him." She quickly left the room.

"The real question is, can the lock be picked?" S'lani said quietly when they were alone. "I do not like the odds here. The sooner we can leave, the better."

"Even if the lock can be picked, where would we go? We have no idea where we are, but again anywhere is better than here." He replied.

"If I can get free, I can pick the lock. I do not, however, think we will get very far." She turned toward Yari. "But it is, ultimately, your decision. If you wish me to make the attempt, I will do so."

"I think that we should try to find a way out of here before one of us is inadvertently killed. I do not wish to continue to be a money maker for them either, it just wrong." Yari replied.

"Agreed. The question is, how will we get out of here without knowing where we are?" She wanted to get out as much as he did, but she had no idea where they were, how large the facility was, or how many guards were around. She needed information--unless Yari knew.

"I know my way to the arena, but that's all. I have not seen anything past that. If we do get out of this room, we will be flying blind." He said before adding, "Anything is better than here."

"I have yet to leave this room." S'lani wasn't sure if it was because they wanted to wait for an appropriate opponent or if they wanted to make her more vulnerable by going after Yari first, knowing she was honor-bound to protect him.

"Then I think that we should fix that. Do you have anything to pick that lock with?" he asked.

"There are slivers that should be strong enough if we are careful." She got up and slowly looked around for something strong enough. There wasn't much, as the guards didn't want them to be able to fashion a weapon, but in a dark corner, under some detritus, she found something that might work. S'lani took it back to Yari. "What do you think of this?"

She handed him two thin shards of metal that were two small to make a good shank, but if they were careful, might just be enough for someone to pick the old fashion lock that secured the door. "They look fragile but may be exactly what we need and are probably our only chance to leave this place before it is too late.' He handed the two pieces of metal back to her.

"I was taught how to pick a lock, but it has been a while, so there is a 74.32% chance multiple attempts will be necessary," S'lani informed him. "But I will also be in a position to fight if the guards come while I make the attempt." She turned to Yari. "Are you ready to leave now?"

Yari nodded, "I think now would be an excellent time to get out of here. Once we are free of this roo we can decide what to do next." He didn't like the uncertainty of their position, but he felt that it was better than just staying in the room. They would just have to wing it.

 

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