black swatch cutting diagonally from the left shoulder to where the shirt ended just under his rib cage. Adam could see the muscles of the creature’s abdomen, showing a nicely defined six-pack. Although the outfit looked gay, the Kracori himself was intimidating.
“Adam Cain,” Jonnif said, more to the crowd than to him. “You are the first Human any of us have seen in person, although we have been aware of your race for a hundred years or more. The Klin looked upon the Humans as mere savages, but useful savages. Being much more patient than we Kracori, the Klin waited until your race had advanced enough technologically before you could play a part in their ultimate plan. With a little nudge here and there, you progressed nicely.”
Jonnif moved to face him, standing only a few inches away. “But all you ever were to them was meat – but strong meat – born on a heavy-gravity rock and possessed of a combination of strength and agility rarely found in the galaxy – just as the Kracori.” A cheer rose up from the audience. “Yet unlike your race, we do not war amongst our own kind, at least we haven’t in over five thousand years.”
He turned back to the crowd with a flourish of his hand. “However, even now members of your own race betray you for nothing more than monetary gain. It is revealed now, Adam Cain, that the one trait that has made you so valuable to the Klin is the fact that you have never stopped warring amongst your kind. This shows that you will kill no matter the enemy. This trait has also made you adept at all the strategies and tactics associated with war – as well as quite the unpredictable type. As the Klin have said – savages.”
He turned to face Adam again. “I will now test that prowess. We will have a contest; I will not seek to kill you – at least not yet. However, if this test reaches the point when it appears you may kill me…” He drew out the sentence as several members of the audience laughed. “…then my companions here will descend upon you for a few moments of sport themselves. If you are lucky, you will survive their actions; let me correct myself – if you are unlucky you will survive. That would just mean another session and even more entertainment.
“The assault on Juir has been rather disappointing for warriors like the Kracori. We had been hoping for more face-to-face combat with the Juireans. Unfortunately, even as we begin our more intense sweep of the planet, the officer corps here rarely has the opportunity to experience combat first-hand. As a warrior yourself, I’m sure you are aware of such a division of labor. So as long as you live, we will make sport of you – and also of the other Humans we have captured.” He turned back to the crowd and smiled. “I only wish there were more of you!” The crowd roared.
“Give it a few more months and you’ll be up to your assholes in Humans.”
Jonnif turned to Adam, never losing the smile. “Ah yes, your fleet! I almost forgot.” As he took a step in closer his smile disappeared. “Your fleet will not be arriving anytime soon, Adam Cain – or ever for that matter.”
The seriousness of Jonnif’s words made Adam cringe. “What do you mean?”
“I mean soon your fleet will be returning to your homeworld, there to tend to the massive destruction wrought by the Kracori nuclear strike upon your Earth.”
Adam felt the blood drain from his face. Could the Kracori be speaking the truth? “Bullshit, Jonnif!”
“Bull…shit? What an interesting phrase. What does it mean?”
“It means you’re lying.”
“Jonnif turned to his audience of Kracori officers. “Am I telling a none-truth, my Ludifs?”
Uniformly the crowd shook their heads and said no, some even calling out: Death to the Humans, let them all die!
When Jonnif turned back to face Adam, he wore the most diabolically-satisfying look Adam had ever seen on a living creature. “It is true, Adam Cain. Within a very short time – days as a matter of fact – a Kracori force will be arriving to ravage your home planet with enough nuclear death and destruction to render it uninhabitable for hundreds of years. Your fleet will have no choice to break off and return to Earth like a whipped krymelic. The Legend of Earth will be broken forever. Without the resources of your