Inside The Game/Part 7

In Gametron, Razor was on the bridge of the Carrier, just recovering from being chewed out by Sarkamel for his incompetence of letting two renegade Game Warriors escape by using the Skimmer. Razor could sense fear coming from his master, as if he knew how dangerous two Game Warriors could be if they could get all the way to Sarkamel's Citadel and defeat him. That, and the threat that he would be personally "derezzed" by Sarkamel himself if he failed his master, was all the motivation he needed to stop those Game Warriors before they proceeded that far.

Razor's first officer, Tazer, approached him as he was meditating on his mission. "What do you want to do with the Tower Guardian, Commander?" he asked. "Put him in with the others?"

"No, bit brain, I want you to prepare him for interrogation," Razor replied. "I need to have a little relaxation. But first, rez up the Carrier for pursuit. We're going to capture those Game Warriors if that's the last thing we will do."

"Yes, Commander," Tazer said, ready to carry out his commander's orders.

"And one other thing," Razor added, "don't think anymore. I do the thinking around here. Understand?"

Tazer gulped, realizing the implied threat. "Yes, Commander." - On board the Skimmer, Hefty watched as they passed across the beautiful scenery that was the Sea of Simulation. He had never seen an ocean with colors on the water so bright and always changing. He could only wish to show his fellow Smurfs what this world looked like.

"Has anyone ever visited Sarkamel in his Citadel, besides Razor and his Warrior Elite?" Hefty asked.

"Sarkamel likes to keep himself distant from all the Gametronians on this world, Hefty," Auron answered. "He communicates mostly by projecting holograms of his face to the citizens of the world, particularly to his underling Razor."

"Razor feeds on the power that Sarkamel gives him on a regular basis, from what I have heard," Yori added. "It's a wonder that all that power doesn't derez him in a microcycle."

"So that must be why it's so difficult to defeat him, even in the Arena," Hefty said. "He probably doesn't think that we're much of a threat to him."

"I'd like to be the first to prove him wrong, Hefty," Auron said. "He's faced Gametronians that were no match for him, but I survived hundreds of his Warrior Elite and he still won't personally challenge me."

"Probably because Razor knows Auron would match his skill as a Game Warrior," Yori said. "With what new programming his Creator has given Auron, Razor might find himself outclassed."

Hefty snickered. "I can't wait to see how that match smurfs out between the two of you, Auron."

Then suddenly there was a jolt as a burst of energy had struck the Skimmer. "What's happened, Yori?" Auron asked.

"It's a power surge coming from Sarkamel's Citadel, Auron," Yori answered, seeing that her control buttons have all turned red, indicating an overload.

"Then we have to get off this beam or we'll be fried to death," Auron said.

"I can't," Yori said. "There isn't another junction for another seven or eight nanocycles."

Then Hefty saw something ahead that was crossing their path. "There's another beam," he called out.

"It's too far for us to reach it," Yori said.

Then Hefty thought of something to do. Without telling either Auron or Yori, he quickly ran to the front of the Skimmer and climbed onto its bow, looking at the power surge as it glowed so bright that Hefty had trouble looking straight at it. He stuck his hand into the surge and could feel its power coursing through him, not harming him at all. His body glowed with the same energy, and with his other hand he pointed straight at the other beam, causing it to connect.

"He's created a junction for us," Auron said, understanding what he was seeing. "Quick, Yori, transfer us to that other beam."

"I'm on it," Yori said as she pressed buttons on the control console. The Skimmer lifted itself up from the beam it was on and turned itself around to connect to the other beam before it continued onward, safe from harm.

Auron headed to the bow of the Skimmer and noticed that Hefty looked like he was ready to pass out. "Did we make it?" he asked Auron.

"Yes, we did, Hefty," Auron answered. "You've saved us."

Hefty smiled. "Smurf one for the good guys," he muttered before he passed out completely. - On board the Carrier, Dyson was sprawled out against a wall that was holding him fast, being tortured by electrical shocks that were coursing through his body. Dyson felt the strain that each shock was producing on his body, making him grimace in pain as it felt like he was being torn apart limb from limb. Yet through the pain, Dyson refused to give in and allow himself to be used for giving any information about Auron and Yori that would prove useful to Sarkamel.

Then Razor entered the room to watch. "Had enough?" he asked with a sneer.

"What do you want, Razor? I'm busy," Dyson responded.

"Busy dying, you worn-out excuse for an old Gametronian," Razor said. "You think that you and your puny Game Warriors will be enough to stop Sarkamel from having full reign over this world? We're the future, and you're the past."

"Sarkamel was a Gametronian like you, who thought that he could be somebody big by controlling others like he was a Creator, Razor," Dyson said with a defiant tone in his voice. "He started off small, and that's how he will end up."

"Very funny, Dyson," Razor scoffed. "Maybe I'll just keep around in order to make me laugh at your pathetic attempts of resistance."

"You can destroy Gametronians like me who believe in the Creators, but it is the Creators who built this world and gave all of us life," Dyson said. "Their spirit remains in everything that exists in this world, and it will only pass away when the Creators wish it to be so."

"The Creators will be history once Sarkamel achieves full power, as you will be and the Game Warriors who believe in them when we're finished," Razor said, laughing maniacally as he walked out of the room, leaving Dyson to contemplate his own fate.

To be expanded on.