From within the dais, two objects arose, identical to each other. A plastic cube, each made of several smaller cubes joined together. The sides were a mixture of coloured squares, a rainbow array of stickers attached to cheap black plastic. Michael stifled a laugh
“A truly fiendish contraption, the goal is to rotate the sections until each side is a single whole colour. Or at least I’m told, no-one has yet to achieve this feat.” Greddog clapped his hands excitedly. “Let the game begin!”
Kestok and Meggok rushed forward, both grabbing their single relic. They clustered together, whispering as they tried to decide the best course of action. They began turning the cube, experimenting with rotating the sections around. The crowd roared with excitement, drawing a strange thrill from the cheap children’s toy.
Brekt began to stride forward to take their own, when Michael stretched his arm outwards, stopping him from moving.
“I’ve got this, trust me,” Michael said. Brekt just nodded, allowing the human to slowly stride forwards. Michael gripped the cube in his hand, holding it high into the air. “Listen to me, you assembled crowds of Ossiark! I am the knower of truths! The secrets of the universe are mine to command!” Michael was showboating, using his nervous habit of constantly talking to his advantage. “Watch as I make a mockery of this, for it is but trivial to me!” He was worried he was coming on a little too strongly, but felt he was too committed to the bit now.
He rotated the cube around, manipulating it until one side was all a matching blue. Then, with the practised muscle memory of someone who had long ago learnt that it wasn’t as impressive to the ladies as he had hoped, completed the cube. It was a simple thing, once you knew how, a set pattern of moves letting you go from a single completed side to completing the entire cube without fail. He held the complete cube up high, and the crowd screamed in delight.
“W... what?” Kestok said, staring at his opponents’ triumph. “How? So fast?”
“Oh, it’s easy,” Michael said, tossing the cube to Brekt. He strolled around the dais, gently taking the cube from Kestok’s hands. His hands swiftly moved, completing the second cube faster than the first. “See, I am the knower. I simply know how to do it. Easy as.”
The reaction from the crowd was near overwhelming, a cheering beyond anything Michael could have imagined. They screamed, arms, limbs, and other appendages waving. They began to chant, slowly at first, before it rose into a constant chorus.
“Knower. Knower. Knower. Knower”
Chapter Twelve
Greddog screamed, standing up on his swollen legs, despite the normal gravity in the arena. His face had turned a deeper shade of green than normal, foam forming around his lips from rage.
“He cheated!” Greddog slammed his fists on the edge of the balcony, the hovering fixture wobbling slightly from the force. “No-one has completed that puzzle. Not even me. Me!” He spun around, dragging along a retainer who had unwisely remained holding his robe. “Clive! Did you prepare it exactly as I said, truly random?”
“Yes, Lord Greddog, I ensured it had thousands of random twists, on each puzzle.” The robot had the same smiling look on his face but was rocking nervously on his heels, cowering slightly. It was a strange mix of the mechanical, and the humanity he claimed he had. Clive reached up and wiped the mixture of spittle and foam that had slopped onto his face.
“How then! How did he solve it!” Gredogg reached out with his hand, beckoning a camera drone to float closer. His face exploded onto the screens that dotted the area. “You, boy, what cheat did you use?”
Michael turned, as theatrically as he could towards the floating balcony. “Nothing, my most esteemed patron, it is simply as I said. I am the knower of truths. This is a truth, and I knew it. Nothing else to it. Nice and straight forward. Really, I would like to thank you most gracious lord for the opportunity to display my abilities so openly.” Michael had always talked when he was nervous, an annoying rambling that just poured forth from his mouth. Now he was turning it to his advantage for the first time in his life, spinning a tapestry from the threads of thought pouring from his throat. “I humbly request my lord, that you pardon our opponents, take mercy upon them. They did not know what they would face today. It would be most unfair to them.” Michael turned, gesturing to the crowd who roared with appreciation. They were lapping it up, revelling in the drama of it.
“Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!” Greddog said. “Are you never silent? Do you always bark so incessantly?”
“He really does,” Aileena said out of the corner of her mouth. She yelped as Mellok jabbed her side with his finger. It was surprisingly bony.
“My lord,” Mellok said, stretching the title out, adding an almost stately tone to it. “I do believe we had a deal, we are free to go are we not? And those below are our colleagues, I assume they too are free to leave with us?” Mellok bowed his head low, feigning submission. It didn’t have the desired effect.
Greddog stamped his foot, the floor shaking with the force. “What do you take me for? You’ve been playing me all along, haven’t you? Taking me for a fool. Are you in on it too?” Greddog bellowed, turning towards Commander Orson. “What is this? A Council plan to undermine me? To spread your forsaken religion? Promoting some phoney prophet before my people? It is a low blow.” He turned again, shifting the other way. “And you, Aileena. I expected better from you. You were one of us, once.”
“On behalf of the Council, I reject these accusations.” Commander Orson stood up, adding another to his quickly growing list of poor decisions. There was a thud and he slammed against the floor, a bright bruise staining the side of his face. Greddog had hit him with a surprising amount of force, his thick flesh hiding powerful muscle.
“Do not lie to me, dog. You would stay down, if you know what’s good for you.” Greddog raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The camera drones buzzed around the balcony. As a single swarm, weapons dropped from their undersides, pistol sized guns aiming from beneath. Sensing their time wasn’t now, the crews of both the Gallant, and the Seeker raised their hands.
“You ever just think the universe is out to get you?” Michael said, his back to the floor, legs propped up against the wall. He was staring at the ceiling, no longer being able to look at the shimmering blue field sealing him into the cell. It wasn’t unlike the one he and Brekt had been ushered into after their casino floor run in. This cell was much smaller, barely enough space for one person.
“Personally, I don’t think the universe is out to get anyone. Or out to help anyone either. Not really my thing.” Brekt’s soft voice drifted through the air, travelling from his cell. The energy doors sealing them in weren’t soundproof at all. “I’m not really into the whole Rhythm thing myself. Not like Aileena.”
“Oh, well now you have to tell me.”
“Nah,” Brekt said dismissively. “Not my place. Maybe she’ll tell you one day.”
“I can hear you, you know? Maybe don’t talk about people in earshot.” Aileena’s voice echoed through the hallway that held their cells. “And Brekt is right. It isn’t his place. And I’m not telling you.”
“Not like we have anything else to talk about. I’m guessing Greddog isn’t the greatest host. How nasty can we expect our deaths to be?” Michael began to click the heels of his shoes against the walls. He wished he had a ball to throw, that felt like the right thing to be doing.