Prisoner of the Amulet

CHAPTER 19

"He's waking up." Sanomis could hear Nharsia's voice, as he slowly regained his consciousness.

"Did you have enough time to calibrate the extractor?" Naarbul asked.

"It is calibrated and ready." Nharsia answered.

"Very well." Naarbul said "Follow my lead."

"Affirmative." Nharsia retorted.

The admiral approached Sanomis, just to make sure he was awake.

"Why did you access the encrypted files?" Naarbul asked him "What were you looking for?"

Sanomis decided to remain silent.

"What were you hoping to find?" Naarbul continued "Who do you work for?"

Sanomis said nothing. Instead he send a thought to his module.

"Is it done?"

"Yes, sir." module answered "Now what?"

"Now, we'll see what is what." Sanomis almost said this.

"What were you searching..." Naarbul tried to ask again.

"Why are we here?" Sanomis interrupted him, "Why did we come to this planet?"

"I am the one asking questions!" the admiral yelled irritated.

"Are we here to be a part of one noble, grandiose expedition, whose goal is to try and understand the origins and growth of civilizations across the known universe." Sanomis continued "Or for something else?"

Naarbul went silent for a moment. The way in which the geologist asked the question, could only mean he was someone else. Perhaps an undercover agent, as he previously suspected. That would mean he was investigating their activities. And that could very well mean he infiltrated the expedition to stop them.

"How can you live with yourselves, knowing what you are about to do?" Sanomis asked them "How are you not ashamed at least?"

"Why would we be ashamed?" Naarbul asked.

"Don't do this." Sanomis almost begged "It is not too late to change your minds."

"Do what?" Naarbul asked.

"Do not destroy this beautiful planet." Sanomis pleaded.

"Beautiful planet?!" Naarbul grinned.

Three of them looked at each other, immediately bursting into laughter.

"This place is a dump." Avena said.

"A barbarous disarray of filth, polluted with the presence of many lower races." Nharsia added more eloquently.

"And how is that giving you the right to do as you please with this place?!" Sanomis screamed.

"I promise we won't destroy this planet." Naarbul giggled maliciously.

"That is exactly what you are going to do, if you proceed with your plan." Sanomis sounded defeated.

"And what plan is that?" Naarbul asked.

"The plan to enslave all of these lower races, for the sake of profit!" Sanomis retorted angrily.

"Oh, so you do know about that?" Naarbul grinned "How did you come about that information? Are you an agent?"

"I can give you an answer to that question." Nharsia suddenly said "The extractor finished the search."

"Let's hear it." Naarbul turned towards her.

"Well sir, it seems this was all just an unfortunate mistake." Nharsia laughed wholeheartedly.

"What do you mean an unfortunate mistake?" Naarbul was confused for a bit.

"Well apparently this geologist here, stumbled upon the wrongly marked document, sitting amongst the maps he needed for his research." Nharsia answered.

"Oh what a mistake!" Naarbul laughed loudly, as his gaze returned to Sanomis "So it was a mistake?"

"I-it was." Sanomis nodded.

"Ha! So you are nothing more than one plain, curious geologist." Naarbul tapped his shoulder "Man, you really are shit out of luck."

"You won't get away with this!" Sanomis snapped back at him, as he understood the implication of the admiral's words.

"We already have." Naarbul said through yet another laughing spell "We did, the moment we caught you."

"If I managed to find out what evil you are preparing for this world, the others will also." Sanomis barked back "You won't get away with this."

"Just watch me." Naarbul said, as he momentarily turned around towards Avena "Get rid of this maggot."

"Do you have something special for him in mind?" captain of Khoro chirped readily, as the mere thought about the continuation of the torture raised her pulse.

"Place him in one of the SEMMBs." Naarbul said.

"Alright?" Avena's excitement subsided.

"The empty one." Naarbul added "Clear all emulations and all support out of the storage."

Avena loudly giggled, as she realized what was about to happen. SEMMBs were previously used in long distant travels, by keeping passengers in the stasis field, while simultaneously providing them with simulated entertainment and rest. But that was a long time ago, before they made significant upgrades to their ships, and their ways of traveling across galaxies in no time at all.

Nowadays, these nifty storages were mainly used as a novelty item, by those who needed some private fun. Usually they were filled with numerous entertaining programs and emulations, some more adult oriented than others. But if someone was to be placed in an empty SEMMB, without corresponding supporting applications, and with no intentions of freeing him from there, said person would surely lost his mind, much before their life would ended. The emptiness of that place would lead to despair. The fear of it would make anyone wishing for quick death.

"And you know what else." Naarbul added, as the idea appeared in his filthy mind.

"What sir?" Avena readily asked.

"After you finish uploading his sorry ass in, you might as well take apart the compartments." Naarbul said.

"Oh I see." Avena almost moaned, realizing the admiral's idea.

Throw them all over this fucking place." Naarbul said "Let him enjoy in this beautiful planet."