Stallion in the Dkarthad Homeworld
The gladiator meets his girlfriend and is chased by the authorities.

Dkarthad Homeworld, Raskelon System

Schaeffer Steelarm tightened his neoleather gloves, adjusted his Mortheo shades, and shook his head to settle his long dark hair. With his HoverSteed engine softly humming, he headed towards the curved and dimly lit skyroad network which would lead him to his girlfriend’s house.

It was late at night. It would be easy to dodge security checkpoints because he knew the patrols didn’t change their schedules often. The light blue and dark red guide lights along the roads which separated traffic flow in the sky would double up as an artificial star-filled sky.

He passed over rough seas and cross-bred palm trees. He was alone on the road. A check of the time confirmed his thought that now most of the population would be religiously watching tonight’s matches. He tucked in closer to his vehicle and sped at top speed toward the city.

A group of aliens gathered in a netsaloon to watch their favorite demon and alien gladiators beat up the humans.

“I want to see Arkzilipul rip Maximillion to shreds!” shouted on of them.

“Hear, hear!” said another, “I want to see that new Grogg in action!”

Some agreed.

“Don’t forget Pago!” said a third and the rest of the room howled and drank at once.

A flat circle about four feet in diameter was in the middle of the saloon. Above it a holographic projector. The projector displayed the matches being held in the Training Grounds on the Dkarthad Homeworld.

The Ophidian Circuit had moved to Raskelon space and the proud but racially partial Raskelon aliens loved the fact that the action was so close to home now. Some of the aliens hated humans. Most felt humans were an inferior race. They loved demons though, and some demons were regarded as god-like. Demons lived in the Raskelon System, but for the common alien to see one was very rare. One could see these fantastic creatures only in movies and gladiator matches.

A long time ago, humans were brutally killed in unfair matches in Raskelon arenas. Now, with tension from other systems and the new Ophidian rules, such matches were banned. The population took it well, for even though the humans were given a “fair” chance, the violence was still there and was aired more often. For some Raskelons, if an alien beat a human in a fair contest, it would be proof absolute that aliens were better than humans.

Pago was the alien for the people. He voiced their frustration in being treated unequally in the universe. He would protest on how humans had a better shot at everything, from owning fancy houses on nice properties, to getting an edge in training and combat in the arenas.

“Pagoooooooo!” yelled the fans in the netsaloon. He would be fighting in the first match.

Schaeffer made it into the city and parked near his girlfriend’s home. Her father would probably be watching the match as well. He was a rich lord who had much power on the Dkarthad Homeworld. His only daughter had always been rebellious and troublesome, always trying to go against his wishes. He couldn’t believe she had fallen in love with a human. It was so embarrassing. But he managed to turn that problem into an entertaining revenue of pleasure and profit.

All Schaeffer had to do was win the title in the arenas. Might as well ask him to give up his HoverSteed. It wasn’t going to happen. There was a lot of competition and betrayal in Ophidian, and many of the gladiators didn’t last three months let alone a full season.

But Stallion was different. Was it his military training that had kept him alive so far? Or was the human clever enough to avoid the pitfalls and treachery of the Ophidians? Maybe he didn’t step on their toes. Or maybe he was working for them.

“No it can’t be,” growled G’kullr as he saw that Stallion, his daughter’s pesky lover, wasn’t even scheduled to fight in the matches on Raskelon. “I can’t believe these snakes!”

Upstairs, his daughter closed the door to her room and blasted some hard rocking erotica music, a genre currently famous in Raskelon. She danced a ritualistic and energetic demonkata as she took out a framed image of her love and placed it on her bed. Her athletic body was kept in shape as she practiced on her uneven parallel bars, flipping and swinging from one to the other.

“Liana!” screamed G’Kullr. His daughter was really a handful. He called for his guard and left the house in his fancy transport vehicle. He was trying to speak with an Ophidian Lord about a deal. The conversation would continue on his way to an associate’s home.

Prince of Gates and his team faced off against Ironsides and his team. Grogg had made the first kill, taking out the veteran Mannequin. Pago was getting the fans on their feet, starting a chant. Ironsides was battling several minions sent out by the Prince.

“Get him! Look out! No!” all the fans were excited as the match seemed to be in favor of Ironsides, the human construct.

“Da you know what dey say when a human/construct wins?” asked one of the aliens at the netsaloon.

“It was the construct!” responded a handful of others. They all started laughing.

Once the music died down, Liana went to her window and looked out for The Stallion, “Where are you?” She sighed, turned around, and prepared to go out. While looking in the mirror, she noticed a figure outside her window. She turned with a smile and saw her man, the rebellious human who had won her heart.

“Schaeffer!” she yelled in joy, “I knew you’d come!”

The Stallion entered and took off his shades. “Hey baby, where’s my spicy firestarter going?”

“To get some air. Father just left and it would be a shame to stay in while he is out.”

“What about your dad’s guards? He didn’t take all of them.”

Liana laughed, “since when did my father’s guards stop you?”

Stallion smiled and said, “Right, let’s go then!”

Pago and Grogg had pulled off a defeat against Prince of Gates’ team. It wasn’t often demon captains lost, and even then the crowd would not show favor for the winners but Pago and the new Beha’wan gladiator known as Grogg had impressed the audience.

“Demons and aliens!” cried the announcer, “our next match Arkzilipul’s team versus Queen Alexandra and company.”

The netsaloon began to chatter to each other.

“The mystery teammate for Queen Alexandra...”

“Shush shhhh!” the patrons whispered loudly to each other.

“The mystery teammate is... From the chaotic demon dimension, Skiverkilial!”

The audience in the arenas and the crowd in the netsaloon began to fill with energy. There is one gladiator from Skiverkilial that could make this match great and that was Arkzilipul’s old rival…

“The demon gladiator known as P.K.!” shouted the announcer.

The fans burst into cheers and the match was on its way.

The couple rushed through abandoned streets, turning into narrow alleys and unkempt streets. Liana grabbed tightly her man, her arms just fitting around his waist. She looked behind with a bright smile through the visor of her helmet .

“We lost them!” she said.

“Don’t count them out,” responded Schaeffer, “Just because you don’t see them don’t mean Raskelon PTF ain’t there.”

They turned a corner to a street lit by flashing lights. Stallion brought his HoverSteed to a stop.

“Turn off your engines and get off the vehicle,” came a voice over a megaphone.

Stallion paused for two seconds, looked at Liana, and then both of them raised their fists into the air and then punched the air with the first three fingers extended. The insult got the officers angry and they opened fire with phased weapons. A hit would mean a painful sting and then unconsciousness. Stallion wouldn’t let that happen. If he fell into the custody of the police task force with a demon lord’s daughter, who knows what they would do to him.

He revved his engine to max and then charged straight for the officers, dodging their attacks. Eventually he flew over them and they continued to chase him.

Liana was very happy. She needed this excitement to feel alive.

“Watch this baby,” said Stallion as a pair of interceptors approached in front of them.

Stallion rotated his HoverSteed sideways to dodge a laser blast that went past them and past the pursuers following them. Now they were shooting from front and back. In a few seconds he would have to make an evasive maneuver and have them on his tail or be rammed. The Raskelon PTF played rough with uncooperative suspects, and they didn’t care how much damage they caused or received in the line of work.

Stallion dodged two more blasts, one from each side and then positioned his vehicle. Two more blasts headed right for him but with a barrel rotation he dodged both of them. Since he was blocking the line of sight for vehicles on opposite sides, they didn’t have enough reaction time and were hit with the blasts. Two more crashed into each other and with one well-calculated technique, Stallion had taken out 80% of his chasers.

“Wow! I can’t believe it folks,” said the announcer. “P.K. killed Arkzilipul with help from Queen Alexandra.”

“I can’t believe the Queen stole Arkzilipul’s favor from the crowd!” said a fan in the saloon.

“Yeah,” agreed another. “I thought using those two humans would get the crowd against her, but instead she used them to sacrifice for P.K. By the demons, I love a good sacrifice!

The announcer continued, “This rivalry is going to be awesome because the two demons no doubt will continue to fight in future matches until eventually one of them loses a full death match. Expect, one reanimated, Arkzilipul to be really angry next time.

“And now, for the final match of the night…”

The final officer continued to chase Stallion through the night. Stallion realized the officer didn’t call for more backup. Perhaps he wanted to hog the glory for himself, or maybe the station didn’t want to risk further embarrassment by losing more officers and vehicles tonight. Either way, this would be the last obstacle in their way. Inside a sewer tunnel, the officer caught up to them. There wasn’t much Stallion could do but go straight in the narrow stretch.

The officer got close to them. He was ready to clip the HoverSteed’s engines.

“No!” shouted The Stallion. Things looked hopeless.

Liana took off her helmet and looked at the officer. She snarled, showed her teeth, and then threw her helmet at him. The officer lost control and slammed into the walls, bouncing several times before crashing into the ground.

“Wooooooooo!” howled Liana. And off they were.

The announcer called the match, “Lothar better look out. His resurrection privileges have been suspended for this match. If he dies, that’s the end for him.”

“That Nicholai is incredible,” said one of the aliens as he drank his drink, eyes fixed on the projection.

“He totaled Version 9 and Striking Dragon,” said another.

As the HoverSteed cooled off, Stallion and Liana stood on a rooftop overlooking the city. The lights of the buildings coupled with the skyroad lights made quite a colorful display. The fact that a city considered cruel and harsh by many, even its own citizens, could look so beautiful and peaceful was only believable by witnessing it first hand.

“I’m so glad you were able to make it,” Liana said.

“I wouldn’t miss this for anything in the universe,” Stallion answered.

“My father is going to make it harder for us to meet.”

“Fine. I enjoy a challenge.”

“Be serious.”

“I am. Do you doubt my abilities?”

“No.”

“Then?”

Liana looked up at Schaeffer. “It’s just...” She paused. “This is hard for a demon.”

Stallion looked into her dark brown eyes, a fiery cavern of deep darkness.

“Our mating rituals are nothing like yours,” she continued.

“I know,” said The Stallion. “I know about demon hierarchy and mating rituals. At least of your kind. I’m not scared.”

“I’m scared,” she interrupted. “Scared for you,” she added.

“Don’t be such a softy.” With that Stallion kissed her on the cheek. Her skin was warm like the air around them. An unusual texture for a human, somewhere between a hard peach and a steak.

“That’s enough of that! What incredible display of power on the new gladiator, Nicholai! The match is over and it looks like the end for Lothar.”

“Eh!” cursed one of the aliens. “That Leonidian human lover deserves to die.”

“No way, he is one of the best aliens out there,” retorted another.

“He lost to that Freakshow a couple of times.”

“Yeah but he beat him too.”

“More than once,” added another. “Freakshow is not easy to take down.”

“You think he’ll make it?” asked one at the end of the bar.

“I don’t know. I ain’t no doctor.”

They laughed and prepared to leave.

Inside a well-decorated room, G’kullr talked with his associate.

“Ssdon’t worry my brotherthsss,” hissed a robed figure.

G’kullr had calmed down, “Oh I’m not worried now. But you should have told me what you were doing. Don’t spring any surprises like that on me any more. I can’t afford any more embarrassment.”

“Sssurprisssse isst good,” said the figure. “That gladiator will be unther a lots of pressure. Life will be unbearable. With your cooperation of coursssssse?”