The Law of Glork Pt. 01

"So when do we leave?" Sara asked quietly.

Ksfm gave a small smile. "We've already begun our descent."

Jack glanced at the door. The wooden door had already closed shut, concealing the Nike. "Wait! Can't we go get out stuff first?"

Ksfm thought for a moment. "It should be about half an hour before it gets dangerous. You have time."

Jack raced to the door, the others on his heels. Klingler flipped the switch to open the latch, grunting with effort. Jack leapt back into the Nike and raced to his room.

This ship was built in space, for space. An atmosphere would completely destroy it. He quickly shoved any tools he could into his toolbox and attached it to his belt. A half hour sounded like a kind estimate -- maybe the time translation didn't work out so well. Either way, he had to be quick.

He gathered some changes of clothes, choosing mostly neutral attire. No use taking a thick coat, after all, if it wasn't going to be frigid. He didn't even know what the weather would be like. Would they even be allowed outside? Supposedly, Lily claimed it would be hospitable, but he didn't want any more surprises.

After a brief hesitation, he grabbed some of his snacks from home. Who knows how long it would be before they could eat normal food again. Maybe up to a year. Or longer.

The craft was starting to rattle by the time he left his room. He needed to get out of here, but he felt like he was forgetting something...

The Pathfinder. Was it valuable? It must not be if they were so willing to let it be destroyed. Still, maybe it could be useful somehow. He tried to come up with some reason to take it with him, but could find none.

So he stopped thinking. Turning down the familiar halls, he dropped down into the pipes, minding his head this time. He ran to the glowing golden object and yanked it out before returning to the deck.

It was definitely getting warmer now. He needed to get out. He dashed down the halls to the exit hatch.

He screeched to a halt as he heard a cry of pain. With only a moment of hesitation, he threw his stuff through the hatch to a confused Lily and raced back into the ship.

Sara. The ship had rattled the floor badly enough that some of the wiring must have slipped through the floor. Her foot was caught. Her eyes were wide with fear. "Jack?"

He fumbled around for his tools but realized he had already dumped them off. Crap. He looked around for anything to cut her loose with. The ship was starting to shake badly, and he was sweating from the heat. Gravity was coming back, stronger than ever.

A stupid idea came to his mind. His mind screamed that it was dumb, but he had trained himself to ignore it. He dropped to the ground and started hammering away at the metal plating near the wires.

"JACK?"

He ignored Sara's panic and kept pounding, his fists tightening in fear. Stupid ideas only worked with the Pathfinder, remember? He was an idiot.

Suddenly, a strong tremor shook him off his feet. He slammed onto the ground, flipping onto his back. He shook his head to clear it and noticed a large spike sticking up where he had been a moment ago.

Without further thought, he tore it the rest of the way and slashed through the wire. Sara was up and running within a second, Jack fumbling behind her. He leapt through the door.

As the hatch slammed shut behind him, Jack waited for the sound of the ship getting ripped to pieces behind him with his eyes clenched shut. But it didn't come. Opening his eyes, he saw the crew staring at him.

Klingler chuckled. "It's not going to rip off for another hour, at least. Scared?"

Jack winced. Was he really just panicking for nothing? No. It couldn't just have been his imagination. He looked over to Sara.

She looked as rattled as he felt. Everyone else just seemed amused. He felt foolish. Sara getting stuck had really gotten to him. He should have just come back and calmly fetched a tool to cut her loose, or taken a look at the knot, or maybe just --

BLAM!

The hull rattled as the Nike came loose, ripped to pieces by the atmosphere. Klingler and Howard exchanged a look of surprise.

Jack spared another glance over to Sara. She mouthed Thank you.

Jack shrugged. He still probably should've fetched a knife or something. He got lucky that worked.

"Jack, your hand!"

Yet another reason he should've grabbed the knife. With the adrenaline wearing off, he came to notice the gash in his hand from ripping up the shredded metal.

"Is everything alright?" Ksfm slipped back into the room.

"Do you have bandages?" Lily asked. "Anything we could use to stop bleeding?"

Ksfm eyes widened as he noticed Jack's hand. "I'll be right back."

When he returned, he apologized for his miscalculation. He had given an estimate of the Nike's integrity based on Earthly calculations and hadn't accounted for the increased atmospheric density.

Jack just shrugged. It all worked out okay, after all. It had been an accident, and they had gotten lucky.

Lily treated his hand during the descent. When she asked what happened, Jack was embarrassed to offer the real story. He made some excuse about tripping and changed the subject.

After the initial shock passed, Jack's mind started racing with questions. For a little while, he attempted to interrogate Mkr on how the ship and the Pathfinders were made. His answers were vague, and Jack eventually gave up, chalking it all up to his "magic" theory.

****************

The descent passed rather quickly. Without any windows, Jack had no way to see how close they were, but Ksfm notified everyone when they started getting close. They had convenient handholds to brace themselves for impact.

It came as a surprise when they hit the water. Jack's arm nearly jolted out of his socket, and he tumbled headfirst into Howard, who hardly budged. Even the Vagonals stumbled. From the whirling sounds around the ship, Jack got the impression that they had sunk pretty deep into whatever water they crashed into.

It didn't take long for them to bob up to the surface. As they did, Howard gathered the crew of the Nike back together.

"Alright, so the plan broke down already. Sue me."

"I plan to," Jack muttered under his breath.

"I wasn't expecting to meet with the government just yet, but I should've. Sara, are you up for this?"

Sara nodded. "I have limited diplomatic power, but I'm sure I can hold my own."

Howard breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. If you need any help, just signal for Klingler. Kisfim says that they don't speak English -- unsurprisingly. So the rest of us are just going to have to lay low. Don't do anything that they could find remotely offensive. Jack, I'm looking at you."

Jack raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "Me? I'm incapable of rudeness. Ask Lily. My Rudeness gland was removed when I was ten."

Lily nodded solemnly. "It's true. The man's a eunuch."

Jack opened his mouth to protest, but he was cut off by Ksfm. "We have arrived, honored guests. Please Mkr. He will take you to the council."

With one last glance with the crew, Howard nodded and followed Mkr. Jack was unprepared for what laid on the other side of the door.

They hadn't landed in an ocean, as he was expecting. They had emerged from a tiny lake. All of them squinted as the sun beat down, far brighter and hotter than anything on earth. Of course, he had never visited the deserts, but this is what he pictured. He was sweating before his first step.

Stepping onto land really solidified the gravity difference. Every step felt exactly like the treadmills on the Nike. He weighed 30% more than before, according to Lily. What he hadn't realized was how evenly that weight would be distributed.

The next thing he noticed was the landscape. Whatever he had been expecting, he was wrong. In every direction laid rocky crags and caves. It looked like a thirteen year old with acne -- bad acne. The entire surface was dotted with holes and jutting stones -- some of which extended into the sky like colossal modern artwork.

On either side of them were rows of Vagonals. They stood at something near military attention as the crew passed through. To his surprise, some of them had distinctly blue and green tones, as opposed to the orange-red. Two races of Vagonals? More?

That's when he finally saw what they were walking toward. A massive sprawling palace made of what appeared to be clay, etched over with artwork and writing. There were no doors, only a massive, cavelike doorway.

They marched on, trying to match the pace of their companions. By the time they stepped into the shade, Jack could feel the beginnings of a sunburn developing right on cue with the stitch in his side. Just walking here matched a full workout routine at home.

Mkr lead the company down the hallway and up into a broad room. The only light came from mirrors placed beneath a few windows, scattering the light through the hall. Still, it was very dim, and Jack's eyes struggled to readjust from the incredible brightness.

Around the room, stationed midway up the wall sat several Vagonals, each in their own booth (for lack of a better term). They quietly whispered amongst themselves as the humans gathered their bearings.

Clearing her throat, Sara stepped forward. After a deep breath, she began to address them in their language. Jack took the opportunity to look around more closely.

There was a large variety among the seated Vagonals. The colors remained pretty clear cut into the two categories. Additionally, the hair seemed much longer among the green and blue, stretching sometimes as far down as the floor. Maybe they were the females? Or was that assuming too much?

Many of them seemed just as curious about him. Several times he caught their eyes before moving on. He suppressed a shiver. Here he was, a kajillion miles from home, surrounded by aliens on their own planet. If he thought about it too much, he was going to have a panic attack.

At least Sara seemed like she knew what she was doing. The conversation seemed to be going well. Maybe they could go home soon.

Oh wait. They wouldn't be going home for a looooong time. He bit back a sigh. "Psst, hey Mucker."

Mkr leaned in. "Yes."

"Where will we be staying tonight?"

Mrk looked at him, confused. He caught on after a second. "You will be staying with us. We currently have a team putting together rooms for you. You should have everything you need for the next few months."

Jack sighed in relief. At least he'd be around those who could understand him. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Heck, for the first time in a while, he'd be completely free of responsibilities. Except, you know, don't start a war. How hard could that be?

He tuned back in. Sara seemed confused. She hesitated before responding. Jack winced the council collectively inhaled through their teeth. It made a sharp hissing sound. That couldn't be good.

He leaned over to Klingler. "What happened?"

Klingler ignored him to step forward and address them. Sara backed up and ducked her head.

"What happened?" Jack whispered.

"They asked about our glrks," she whispered back.

"In English, please."

"I don't know what they're talking about. The way Klingler is talking, they're some kind of animal. Frogs, maybe?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "And this is a big deal... why?"

Howard leaned his head in to listen. "Yes, why?"

Sara hesitated. "It sounds like it's something important to them. Almost religious."

Jack groaned. "Seriously? The aliens are religious? Please tell me we don't have to convert or anything."

Suddenly, Ksmf joined Klingler, seeming to plead with the council.

"He's asking if this really invokes the law of glrk," Sara translated.

The head Vagonal replied.

"He insists we must be presented to a glrk... by the law of glrk."

"F tmw l glrk," the council recited together.

Howard stepped forward. "Kismif, is there a problem?"

Ksmf sighed. "Since you have no Glrks where you come from, you must be presented before we can deal with you as adults. It's a ritual here."

Howard eyed him warily. "And...?"

Ksmf winced. "It may kill you. It looks into your soul, and if your soul is evil, it slays you. This is the law of Glrk."

Jack looked around worriedly. "What if we refuse? Can't we just... Skip the ritual?"

Ksmf turned to look at him. "The Law of Glrk is absolute. If you will not submit, we will be forced to declare war."

War. The worst case scenario. Jack gulped. He should've stayed on the ship and gone home. Howard's warning repeated in his mind. Death is preferable. But still, he didn't want to die.

Howard gritted his teeth. "Are you sure it won't just kill us for being different? What is this monster anyway?"

Ksmf's eyes flashed with anger. "It is no monster. Obedience to the Law of Glrk is what has sustained our civilization far past your meaningless centuries. We are united under it, and have been for centuries. Disobedience only brings suffering." He took a breath. "If you perish, than it means you were evil. End of discussion."

Lily interjected. "Surely as a scientist you understand that this is all superstition. It probably eats only randomly."

Ksmf's body tensed up. "You will speak no more of such things. If I translated what you just said, I would be slain for speaking such vile things. One more word and I will kill you myself."

Jack reached for his wrench, even though he knew it was a bad idea. There's no way that he could fight here. The gravity made it difficult even to stand. It was a stupid idea.

Howard stepped between them. "Fine. Let us have a moment to discuss it."

Howard gathered with the crew again. "You know what? Enough promises. You all know the stakes. But I can't force anyone to go through with this. I'm doing it, but none of you have to. I promise."

Jack hesitated. They were all good, and he knew it. Himself? If any of them were going to die, it would be him. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew that he wasn't a very good person. If there was any truth to this religious BS, he was going to die for sure.

Everyone was staring at him. He sighed. "Alright, I'll do it. Lily, if I die, you better tell the world that I was right about aliens. And," he said, looking at Howard, "If that happens, you better apologize to me for dragging me along."

Howard offered a weak smile. "I'll do more than that, boy. You'll have the finest gravestone money can buy."

Sara snorted. "You're going to build him a pyramid? His ego's big enough in life. There'll be no living with him then."

Jack snorted at the pun, no less amused that Sara had been the one to crack it.

"I'll go first."

Jack shook his head. "Lily, I'm going first. I've got to get this over with. Please, the anxiety will kill me before the mon -- uh, the Glork thing. Let me go first."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Too bad, I got dibs."

Howard called out to Ksfm. "We are ready."

Ksfm spoke to the head councilperson before turning back to them. "Before we begin, answer loud and clear in your own language: Are any of you tld?

Klingler raised his eyebrows. "Do you mean married? In a relationship?"

Ksfm blinked. "I don't know your word for it. Translate as best you can."

Klingler shrugged. "Okay, I don't think any of us are-"

"I am." Howard raised his hand. "I have a wife waiting for me back home."

Jack blinked in surprise. Months serving under him, and he never knew. Goes to show how little Howard shared.

Ksfm nodded. "And the rest of you? Say it loudly."

"No."

"No."

"Nope."

"No."

Satisfied, he turned back to the leader and spoke some quick words.

Suddenly, a hatch in the ceiling opened, leaving a bright spotlight in the center of the ground. Immediately, the rest of the room faded to black in comparison. Jack tried to steel his nerves, but there was nothing about this he didn't hate. Back in school, he had always hated evaluations. Most of the time he would just kind of slough it off, take the bad grade over an honest assessment of himself. He couldn't really do that here.

At Ksfm's encouragement, Lily stepped forward into the light. She squinted against the bright light, trying to make out what was happening.

Jack's blood froze as he heard a deep rumbling sound. A door that had gone by previously unnoticed began to open. It was a large stone door -- distressingly large. At least 15 feet high.

All hopes that the size was merely for theatrics vanished as the Glork exited it's chambers. Sara's estimate that they were frogs wasn't far off. Except for the size, the only differences were its face and its legs, built more for stomping than hopping. Picture a rhino-frog the size of an elephant, and you'll start to get the idea.

It strode forward, sniffing the air. Its eyes remained entirely closed, which Jack did not find encouraging. It marched slowly but confidently towards where Lily stood. Her legs were shaking, every instinct in her body telling her to bolt.

It stopped mere inches from her. There was a tense pause, before it opened its eyes.

Jack blinked. Just like the Vagonals, it lacked all trace of pupils. Rather, it seemed more like he was staring into a kaleidoscope. Dots and fragmented patterns spun around, shifting colors and shapes rapidly. What kind of monster was this?

It paid no one else in the hall any heed. It merely looked down to Lily, studying her with an unexpected conscientiousness. She returned its gaze.

After a few painful moments, it closed its eyes again and started sniffing the air. Ksfm gestured for Lily to return, and she quickly (though quietly) retreated.

Before Jack could catch his wits, Sara stepped forward. She strode up confidently to the circle, not a trace of fear in her eyes.

The Glork's eyes opened before she had even arrived. Its unwavering gaze made her slow before reaching the spot.

After what seemed like an eternity, it finally closed its eyes once more. Jack breathed a sigh of relief as Sara returned safely. Trying to smother the butterflies in his stomach, he approached the light.

However, he was intercepted by Klingler, who flashed a playful smile. "You'll get your turn, Jack," he whispered quietly.

Jack sighed as Klingler stepped into the spotlight. He didn't seem at all afraid, Jack noticed. Maybe there was some trick he knew about. He wouldn't put it past him. But couldn't he have told everyone else? Maybe humans just had an automatic pass. Either way, Jack watched carefully for anything that might help.

Once more, the Glork's eyes opened. It studied Klingler from head to toe. Klinger kept his head high and retained eye contact. His hands were at his sides, trembling slightly. So he was afraid.

Several seconds passed. Jack started to worry. Had Sara taken this long? Maybe it-

In a flash, the Glork's mouth opened. Jack glimpsed the massive tongue of the creature as it snapped out and caught the unsuspecting Klingler. He only had time for a faint, muffled cry before he disappeared into its gaping mouth.

It all took less than a second. Jack stared in open-mouthed shock. There was no trace of Klingler. Nothing in how the Glork stood gave away that it had just eaten a man. The further silence made Jack hope that he had at least died quickly.

Ksfm bowed his head. He had been the closest to Klingler, after all. Jack opened his mouth to speak, but stopped at the alien's expression. It wasn't the sadness that he had been expecting. It was rage.

"He certainly fooled us -- all of us. Good riddance."

Jack blinked in surprise. "You knew him! He was a good man!"

Ksmf snorted. "Apparently, he was not. I believe it was your turn."

Any sense of security Jack had had was entirely gone. His feet were rooted to the floor. He glanced over to the Glork, whose eyes were now closed. It had returned to sniffing, a once harmless act now incredibly threatening.