Arena of Combat
I materialised on a desolate, mountainous region of an unknown planet. It was perfectly suitable terrain under ordinary circumstances but my situation was far from normal. My ship had been neutralised, forced to hang suspended in Space, controlled by a powerful race called the Metrons. They had seized my ship, and transported me here to engage in personal combat with an alien captain, a human from the planet Earth.
I sensed a presence and turned round. I stared at it with horror. It was ugly, just like those invaders who had inhabited our territory on the planet they named Cestus. It was a biped with round, shell-like ears, strange fur on its head, tiny eyes and nose and small ineffective teeth. It wore odd garments that covered most of its puny body, and the skin of its face and hands was smooth and pale like that of a corpse.
Disgusting...
It started back in fear as I took a step forward. It was obviously terrified by the majesty of a warrior-captain of the Gorn fleet. I laughed to myself. This weak creature was a starship captain? I would easily conquer such a feeble specimen. I pulled a branch from a nearby tree and advanced on the Earther. It ran back, tried to mimic my action, but was only capable of breaking a tiny stick from another tree. I allowed myself a moment of pride at my physical prowess before revulsion overcame me for my small opponent.
Weakling....
We fought and only by luck did it touch the delicate sensors of my auditory canals, blinding me with pain. In that moment, it escaped by using its one advantage over me - its fleetness of foot – and scurried up to a vantage point above me. It fearfully searched, picked up a small rock and held it between its clumsy little hands. With much difficulty, it raised the stone above its head, sweating with the effort of holding even such a minor weight. I laughed at its weakness, sure it would collapse with the strain. However, to my amazement, it managed to throw the rock at me and caught me a glancing blow to the chest. How had that feeble strength managed such a feat? Angered, and determined to flaunt my physical superiority, I lifted a large boulder and hurled it at the stunned human but it missed as the puny being roused itself enough to leap to one side and then run away.
Coward...
I knew that my strength, ingenuity and superior abilities would eventually win out and carefully planned my campaign. I set traps to capture the human and made a dagger to kill it. As I worked, I listened to the detailed recordings it made, laughing at its stupidity at not knowing that I could overhear its words. It was another sign of its inferiority.
However, I underestimated the creature, almost to my undoing. Somehow it scaled the heights above me and, before I was able to step out the way, sent a large stone crashing down to hit me full on the chest. The crushing weight of the boulder knocked the breath from me and pinned me to the ground.
Although unconsciousness threatened me, I forced my bruised body to move and was able to partly release my arm before my enemy could reach me. I smelled its horror on seeing me still alive, and in blind terror the Earther fled. I staggered to my feet, controlled my pain, and followed with deep anger in my heart at the humiliation it had put me through. My mood lightened as I noticed that it headed for one of my traps. I would kill it. Yes. First, though, I would torture the monster.
With grim determination I continued to stalk it and as I emerged from the pathway my blood sang in victory at the sight that greeted me. The human lay amongst the rocks, twisting helplessly in my trap. It was there, helpless, and it was my prey. My victim. Its fear was stronger now and as I approached it, my head spun in delightful anticipation. I would take its warm blood in the old way of my ancestors. I would drink its very soul.
Ecstasy...
I leaned forward and raised my dagger, ready for the kill but to my shock the nimble athleticism of the human robbed me of my rights and it escaped just as I moved the entrapping boulder aside. Fury almost blinded me as I staggered after my enemy but after a few moments reason prevailed. I would never capture the creature this way. I must not succumb to blind rage. Control was too important. I must handle this in a new way.
I activated the translator/recording device the Metrons had supplied and contacted the human. I told it to wait for me and if it did so, its death would be merciful and quick. It would not yield, however, and I had to admit to myself that its will to survive matched my own.
Like some ancient warrior-hunter, I stalked my prey. It would regret ignoring my generous offer of clemency. Now it would pay the price for its arrogance. Now the stubborn human would know the force of Gorn bloodlust. It would beg abjectly for its miserable life but there would only be agony for a creature that had dared to harm a prince of Gorn.
I continued to track it, knowing it was injured and would be slowing down. I soon gained on it and heard its frantic breathing close by. In a few short moments its life would be in my hands. With confidence I moved towards the welcome sounds of my enemy’s fear. Its life would soon be mine.
At last I spotted it, beaten, defeated, kneeling crouched over on the ground. I readied myself for the kill. After that my ship would be free, the creature dead, and our territory returned.
Victory...
Suddenly, the human turned and in a blur of motion and deafening sound, something rammed into my chest with sickening force. Pain shot through me in unbearable waves and I sank, trembling, to the ground. Blinded now, I lay helpless, totally vulnerable, as I sensed the human lean over me. I smelled its pungent sweat, heard its quickened breathing. There was pressure against my neck and I knew it used my own dagger against me, its sharp point ready to penetrate the perfection of my skin. Despair overcame me as I waited, paralysed by the force the alien had unleashed on me. Oh the shame at being defeated by such a puny creature!
I awaited my death, anguished at my failure to save both ship and crew. My life was at an end.
Conquered...
His shocking words infiltrated my weary brain.
“No, I won’t kill you.” His voice was gentle and compassionate. “Maybe you thought you were protecting yourself when you attacked the outpost.”
The dagger no longer threatened me. The human left my side. I could not understand what was happening. Why had he not killed me?
“No, I won’t kill him,” he defied the Metrons. “Do you hear? You’ll have to get your entertainment someplace else.”
Amazed and confused by his words, I struggled to speak. Why? Why did he spare me? He had beaten me. I was helpless, unable to defend myself. Why did he not kill me? A tiny shred of hope slid through me. Was it possible that humans were not the monsters we believed them to be? Were they civilised, intelligent beings who...?
Before I could finish such a revolutionary thought, the Metron transporter beam encompassed me and a moment later deposited me on the bridge of my ship. My crew stared at me in amazement.
“Zlar we thought you dead,” my life-mate cried, her welcome voice washing over me like a balm.
I lifted my arms, studied my uninjured body, totally perplexed by these new developments. In a daze, I looked up at my beloved and drank in her beauty. “He spared me,” I said into the shocked silence. “He would not kill me.”
None of us could understand why a member of such a savage, and brutal species would show mercy.
“Captain, we have been returned to our own domain and are orbiting the home world,” the navigator said.
I faced the viewscreen. The Metrons, those mysterious all-powerful beings, had done this but why? They had warned that the loser and his ship would be destroyed.
My thoughts returned to the human. Small, repulsive in looks, feeble in body but resourceful, agile, intelligent, and merciful. Without doubt, I knew we lived because of his intervention.
“Perhaps, the humans did not know the planet was ours,” I speculated. “It is after all at the farthest reach of our domain. Would it be possible, I wonder, to negotiate with them?”
My life-mate moved to my side. “Is it possible?” she asked in wonder.
I considered the human and his brave, determined battle against a larger, more powerful being. He had been very afraid but a coward? No. He had been courageous and a worthy opponent.
A Warrior...