Minx Ep. 05: Sphere, Age of Arachnids

Also, was Mahar's anger real or an act? She thought she had learned enough from Dragon to be able to push a hyperman's buttons, but she couldn't be sure. Mahar appeared to be less disciplined than Dragon, yet it could all be an act. She thought hard on the matter, then decided that it was likely she actually was upsetting him. It also seemed logical that Dragon would be playing mind games with his enemy, too. She smiled at the thought of the two-pronged attack; between the two of them she was confident they could infuriate the most serene of people.

Minx rose to her feet. After circling the sand, Minx jogged after Alice and Arachne. She was still smiling. Mahar thought he was in control, yet she had managed to thwart his plans again and again. He might be a hyperman but he was no Dragon!

XIX

Mahar stepped off the round pad and seethed.

That human female had taunted him! He had an urge to hurry out to where she was and simply kill her. Surely the red-haired female would provide suitable entertainment if left to her own devices? Then, he remembered how quickly the other pirates had been killed; alone, Alice's pitiful efforts at survival inside the Sphere had little entertainment potential. It was clear to him that Minx had to live for now. Her eventual demise would be very satisfying, as would the suffering she underwent prior to her death.

He went to the control console, a duplicate of the one in the room with Dragon. On a monitor he could see that the other hyperman was still safely confined. Dragon appeared to be resting, recuperating after the punishment he'd been subjected to. As for the woman, Mahar could both hear and smell Vanessa in the corridor outside the room. She was spying on him! Should he grab her now and begin recording her death? A millisecond later he decided against it, curious to see what intrigue Vanessa was involved in.

He sent a camera minibot out into the hall to monitor Vanessa. Then, he selected a monitor that she would not be able to see from her vantage and sent the signal to it, so he could watch her every move.

The woman had put on another poncho, crafted from material she'd pilfered from a storage room. Mahar recognized the material and wondered if the human had any idea she wore something that he'd been using to make body armour with. At least she was not stupid enough to attempt to free Dragon. Mahar smiled smugly as he realized she didn't have the intellectual capacity to figure out how to free the prisoner, and she was certainly too terrified of Dragon to free him.

Then, Mahar activated the other monitors. Each showed a different location in the Sphere, and each image shifted as the minibots roamed across the vast land masses inside the hollow world. He had programmed a computer to alert him to signs of any other hypermen, but had felt it wise to oversee the search personally. His people were smart, and might easily outwit a mere computer.

One screen showed that one of the minibots was approaching Aphrodite, Minx's downed vessel. Mahar surveyed the scene carefully, suspicious of every change in the scene since the last time he'd viewed it. Then, he ordered the minibot to carry on with its survey of that region.

His fist smashed down onto the console. Mahar found it impossible to believe that both Minx and Dragon had come to this world without support. He could well imagine Minx fleeing from the other hyperman, during a brief respite from exposure to Dragon's pheromones in which she'd regained a measure of self-control, and Dragon chasing after her. However, why would he put himself at such risk for a mere human female? Dragon must have realized the likelihood that another hyperman had located the Sphere before him. He would have brought his allies in with him. Mahar knew this because there'd been no further attacks or intrusions on the outer shell since Dragon and the pirate ship had entered and crashed. Scanners had detected another vessel, but it stayed quite distant from the Sphere and was likely on some sort of automated control or awaiting a signal that would never come.

In a moment of self-doubt, Mahar considered the possibility that Dragon was alone. A frown crossed Mahar's face. Dragon was just too cocky and confident! He had to have allies coming to his rescue! It was critical that Mahar find them!

His fingers played across the controls. Displays on one of the monitors showed him that half the minibots he had on patrol were close to shutting down, and he sent them toward the nearest tower for transport and recharging. Three of the others he sent to investigate the wreck of the King Midas and its life pods. There, thought Mahar, he'd find the evidence of other hypermen inside the Sphere, and then he could trace their trails until he found them and disposed of them.

Once he eliminated all threats he could begin to really play with Dragon and Vanessa. However, he reminded himself, he'd been careless once before and it had resulted in his hasty retreat from hyperman space. Now, he would be cautious and rein in his desire to create the greatest art in the galaxy. Dragon and Vanessa could wait. Minx would pass as entertainment in the meantime.

After a couple of hours, Mahar made as if to leave the room then paused as if considering something he'd forgotten. Believing he'd given Vanessa sufficient time to retreat from the doorway he walked from the room. The corridor was empty, just as he knew it would be. However, he could hear Vanessa's bare feet upon the hard floor as she snuck away, out of sight.

Thinking of Vanessa, it reminded him that it was time to check on Paul and Miguel. Vanessa had not been impregnated during their first couplings despite his nanobots having made her fertile again, so it was clear he had more genetic manipulations to perform before once again giving her to them for a short while. Perhaps the problem wasn't chromosomal, but chemical incompatibility...

XX

"He was talking to Minx!" explained Vanessa, having just hurried back to the room were Dragon was a prisoner. None of the monitors in that room were activated.

Dragon nodded his head. "It's simply a holoprojector. He can use miniature robots to project his real-time image anywhere in this hollow world. The projection would have no solidity, but the minibots could also broadcast sound. It's a rather primitive technology by hyperman standards. Have you ever used something similar?"

"Well, yes." She blushed. "I did some private broadcasting when I was a student, to earn some credits. Nothing too bad. Nudity. Masturbation. Playing with sex toys."

"Excellent! Can you go over to the console, there?" he asked, nodding his head to the left and toward the monitors.

"But...wouldn't he have protected it?"

"Just go over to it, Vanessa." She did so, and then turned back to him. Her face showed her lack of faith in whatever he had planned. "Now, follow my instructions exactly. We're going to scan some of the dangers ahead of Minx and this will be a little tricky."

Vanessa's hands froze over the console. "And...if Mahar should catch us?"

"I'll tell him I'm trying to escape, then do something to infuriate him," explained the hyperman. "He's been alone for a long time and is surprisingly easy to manipulate. I can take his punishments, Vanessa. Don't worry."

"Okay," she responded, nodding quickly. "So, what do I do first?"

XXI

"Boss!" called out Aphrodite. "Your description is too vague for me to identify these animals from the fossil record data I have, but I believe they should be lousy at climbing!"

"Climb that bluff, Alice!" demanded Minx, pointing to the dirt and stone wall a short distance away.

The chittering of the horde of man-sized scorpion-things was unnerving and, even though the creatures moved slower than she could run, Minx wanted to be away from them as soon as possible. Arachne hissed and clicked at one of the eight-legged creatures, somehow holding it at bay.

"Arachne! Climb!" Minx pointed after Alice.

These things were broad and flat, and Minx also thought it unlikely they were good climbers. Especially since she'd seen none on the walls of this small canyon yet. The scorpion-things had emerged from holes in the ground and seemed confined to the floor of this wide but low-walled canyon. Her arachnid friend scuttled up the bluff wall, passing Alice easily. Minx breathed a sigh of relief; Arachne had not always been so adept at climbing, despite being an arachnid.

Minx swung her sword at a pincer, severing the end of it, then dashed for the wall and leapt. A lucky handhold kept her from falling back into the swarm and she kicked her legs this way and that trying to find some foothold. A large stone came flying past her head. Looking up, she spied Alice hefting small boulders and hurling them down upon the scorpions. Arachne was pushing down similar sized rocks.

Given a respite from an immediate attack, Minx sheathed her sword and then climbed. Soon she was at the top of the bluff. The scorpions, sensing that they had lost their easy meal, slowly scurried back to their burrows.

"Thank you, both of you," gasped Minx.

"I figured it was your turn to be the damsel in distress, Minx." Alice smiled at her.

In the last week Minx had probably saved Alice's life at least twenty times, and she couldn't even begin to guess how many times Arachne had saved both their lives. Minx sat, regained her breath and looked around to see if a suitable campsite was nearby. Certainly, there was no easy access from the floor of the canyon to their present elevation as far as she could see in either direction. There was an odd glow on the eastern horizon.

"What do you think that is?" asked Alice, following Minx's gaze.

Arachne pointed at it eagerly.

"Damned if I know. Arachne seems to want to go there, so we're going that way," stated Minx.

As one they set off again. After three hours of travel they found themselves blocked by a river of lava. Arachne seemed very excited.

"What's with Arachne?" asked Alice. She'd become accustomed to the arachnid and no longer flinched when Arachne brushed against her.

"I think she knows this place. Give me that stick!" Alice handed Minx a long, thick piece of ground vine. Minx climbed down the embankment, feeling the heat wash over her as she approached the molten rock. Sweat quickly coated her from head to foot, and she found it difficult to catch her breath. When she was within three metres of the molten rock she stretched out and touched the tip into a small side channel of lava. The tip of the wood burst into flame, and then Minx hurried back up the slope.

"I bring you fire!" she announced, holding up her prize.

"Your soaking with sweat!" noted Alice. "I mean, wow! It's amazing you did that so we could cook our meat. Did you want to go hunting while I find some tubers? We could share a regular meal?"

"Sounds good. But first..." Minx set the burning wood down, then placed other dried branches atop it so the flames would build into a decent campfire. "Arachne, let's go hunting!"

An hour and a half later Minx and Alice were enjoying some roast lizard and an assortment of pine nuts. Arachne fed upon an uncooked portion of meat nearby. The two women shared smiles at enjoying such luxuries such as a warm fire and freshly-cooked meat. Though, the robustness of the campfire and the heights the flames danced to worried the bounty hunter.

"Minx?" Alice stared into the flames as she nibbled on some meat. The bounty hunter had noted how the pirate preferred to sit beside her whenever they stopped to rest or eat. She had gently rebuffed the woman every time she'd made a pass at her. She'd even been polite when she'd awoken one day to find Alice with her hand down Minx's bottoms and her finger inside of her.

"Yes?"

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I was just thinking how strange it was for a river of lava to be flowing by just twenty metres that way," noted Minx, licking her lips.

"It is kind of romantic, though." Alice shuffled a little closer to Minx.

"That's not what I meant. That's the first evidence of a volcano I've seen in this hollow world, Alice."

"Oh," answered Alice with a shrug.

"Boss, there should be no volcanism," interrupted Aphrodite. "The make-up of this world would not include vast magma seas buried in the crust or mantle, and heating of this world is not achieved by the decay of radioactive elements as it is on most rocky worlds. Lava should be unknown, unless Arachne's people are even more advanced than we suspect."

Minx looked over at her arachnid friend. Could her people have come up with a way to mimic volcanoes on this world?

"Aphrodite? Why would the arachnids want volcanism? Wouldn't it be dangerous?"

"Very dangerous," came the reply. "Far too much chance for the magma to burst out on the exterior of the world, or in unexpected locales on the interior. An undersea volcano of sufficient size could kill everything within this world."

"What did your A.I. say, Minx?" asked Alice.

"The lava is not a natural occurrence on this world."

"Well, duh! It's a man-made world!" Alice blushed. "I mean, spider-made world. So...nothing's natural here."

Minx refrained from rolling her eyes. "No. I mean there's a good chance that Mahar has generated the lava for some reason. The arachnids would have had no reason for doing so, not in a world that they built and designed and which has lasted hundreds of millions of years without molten rock."

"I predict a ninety-nine point four per cent chance that he's the cause, boss," stated Aphrodite. "I'm extrapolating the effects to come up with a good reason. This may take some time."

"Does she talk to you all the time, Minx?" asked Alice.

"Aphrodite? No. Although she does get bored at times."

"So...you do have private times?"

"Uhm, yes. Why the sudden interest in Aphrodite?"

"No reason," Alice said hurriedly. She nibbled on more of the roast meat. "You're a good hunter, Minx. A good provider."

"Thank you." Minx tossed the bones and tendons that remained after her meal into the fire. "You picked some delicious pine nuts."

"That's what I mean about you, Minx. You're so caring. And...you take care of me so well." Alice tossed the remains of her meal into the fire just as Minx had done. Then, she put her hand on Minx's thigh. "You've been taking great care of me. You're very protective. And brave."

"Alice?" inquired Minx, raising her eyebrow.

The pirate leaned closer to Minx. "Yes," she whispered.

"Get some rest. We have a long walk tomorrow."

Alice pouted. Minx gave her a stern look. Alice took the hint and curled up on the ground a short distance from the fire.

"Boss! There's no harm in having a little fun, after all..."

"Shut up, Aphrodite," whispered Minx.

The bounty hunter turned so her back was to the fire and readied herself to keep watch.

"Minx!" called out a feminine voice.

"Alice, I'm not..." said Minx, turning as she spoke. Then she froze once she saw Vanessa, dressed in only a silver poncho and standing above the fire but with her feet in the flames. The woman's facial scar was gone and she looked...rejuvenated.

"Minx! I don't have much time!" urged Vanessa.

Alice lifted her head from the ground. "I know you! You're that scheming..."

"Alice!" chided Minx. "Go ahead, Vanessa. Say what you have to say."

Vanessa took a look around her, frowned, then spoke: "Give me a second or two." The woman stepped forward and her image vanished. She was soon back, though she was clearly worried. "Thought I heard Mahar, but it was just one of those scorpions doing something. Dragon and I are his prisoners. Don't follow his instructions! He's leading you into a trap!"

Minx picked up a couple of small stones. "I know he is. Tell me something useful."

Vanessa appeared surprised. "He's going to kill me."

"Not my problem. You tried to kill me," explained Minx.

"You tell her, Minx!" spat Alice.

"I'm trying to help you! You're our only hope! Please come and save us!"

"You can tell Mahar that I am coming for him. As for you, if you get in my way I'll kill you, too. Now tell me something useful or this conversation is over."

"You're near a lava river."

"Not news. Mahar has minibots throughout this world and he's been spying on all of us."

"Mahar has lasers pointed at the ridge to the south. They're melting the ground and rock. Dragon suspects he's trying to remake this zone."

"That's news," admitted Minx. "Keep going, Vanessa."

"I want to make you a deal."

"Let me hear it."

"I'll contact you as often as I can and warn you of dangers in your path and, in exchange, you promise to let me have Dragon."

Minx ignored Alice's gasp.

"Dragon told you to make this deal?" Minx asked. She didn't believe Dragon had suggested any such thing, for reasons that she was pretty sure Vanessa was unaware of.

"Yes," replied Vanessa with a nod. "He's become quite interested in me and my new look. And...he says that he's moved on since you. He was even screwing that red-headed pirate with the huge boobs, Alice."

"And he can't tell me this personally because...?" prompted Minx.

"He's...he's..."

"You're lying," growled Minx. "And if you're lying about that I can't trust anything you say, can I?"

"Damn!" whispered Vanessa, closing her hands into fists and casting a worried glance around her. "Yes, I'm lying! But you have to come and rescue us! Mahar's going to feed me to a dinosaur! And he's torturing Dragon!"

"I'm not really against the idea of you being fed to a dinosaur, Vanessa. You were going to do the same to me." Minx let that sink in and watched Vanessa's look of terror with a satisfied feeling inside. "However, I am coming to free Dragon, and I'll free you, too. I agree to let you go unharmed afterward." She quickly raised a finger. "In exchange for your help in alerting me to dangers on the trail ahead."

"Deal!"

"We're following the river south, and I hope to find a way to cross it near the ridge."

"Dragon and I will use Mahar's sensors to find out what's ahead of you and then I'll let you know as soon as I can. I have to find times when Mahar is away from the control consoles and resting, but the next time he is I'll try and contact you." Vanessa jumped out of view.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about me and Dragon, Minx." Alice gave Minx a sidelong glance.

"I already knew." The bounty hunter shrugged. She actually didn't feel that jealous, as she was sure that Dragon would cast away any other woman should she offer to take him back. Why was he so loyal to her, she wondered? And, was it loyalty or simply the furthering of his genetic plans?

"That's why you're upset with me and keep pushing me away?"

"No. I keep turning you away because I'm not into women."

"How do you know if you haven't tried?" pleaded Alice. "You might like it."

"I have tried. Now get some sleep!"

Alice put her head down on the ground again and was snoring lightly within fifteen minutes. Minx motioned for Arachne to stay by the fire, then walked back to the river of lava. She tried to follow the red trail with her eyes but obstructions made her give up the idea. She could see a distant ridge, and there was a splash of red on its side. There was movement to and from that area, moving shadows were visible against the brightness of the molten rock.

"Why would Mahar want to remake the surface of this zone?"

"Oh, are you talking to me now?" asked an indignant Aphrodite.

"Sorry if I was abrupt before. Alice is becoming more daring in trying to seduce me."

"The easy solution is to lie back, spread your legs and..."

"Not going to happen, Aphrodite."

"One day I'll be made of flesh and blood and I'll have lots of fun! Then I'll find you in the little hermitage that you're hiding away in and I'll tell you about everything you've missed! For a moist little biological you're such a prude!"