Chapter 15: Neona

With Amanda cuddled up against her Neona's thoughts ran through her mind. She hated Babuto for kidnapping her and the way he had treated her. She hated him for putting his baby in her and keeping her prisoner. She hated his race for enslaving the Zukari. Did she hate him and his race enough though to want them dead? She looked at Amanda sleeping beside her, though she was sure Amanda was near the same age, she was like a young teenager in maturity. Amanda would not like to see Babuto dead even though he was using her. She knew Ryan. Ryan and the others would be very angry and Ryan would want to kill Babuto for what he had done to her. I need to stop Ryan and the others but how when I'm chained to this fucking wall. For a long time Neona thought silently but finally she went to sleep also.

The next morning Amanda arose went back to her sleeping mat and clipped her chain to the wall. A slave girl brought breakfast for them and left. Amanda and Neona talked more and then in early afternoon they heard a commotion outside. One of the slave women rushed in and excitedly told Amanda that a blue skinned human man was approaching the city. One of the Zumari guards had spotted him and sent a runner to spread the warning.

Neona had listened to the conversation and anxiously addressed Amanda, "That must be Ryan. Amanda you must set me free now for there is going to be much killing otherwise."

Seeing the panic and dread in Neona's eyes Amanda was convinced that, the woman spoke the truth. "I can not release you, I do not have the key Neona," Amanda replied.

"Then you must speak to Babuto now Amanda or he and many of the Zumari will die."

Amanda got to her feet, released her chain from the wall, and hobbled from the room. She found Babuto and relayed the information. Babuto seeing that Amanda understood Neona's language grabbed her up, tucked her under his arm and rushed out of the door to meet the approaching blue man.

Ryan's four companions had faded into the forest before the guard could spot them, so as far as the Zumari knew only a single man approached the outskirts of the city, and he openly walked down an avenue of the city drawing near the center square where the Zumari and Zukari lived. A giant green man carrying a chained woman stepped into the avenue before him. He set the woman on her feet beside him and spoke to her. Ryan was surprised when the woman began to speak in his language translating what Babuto had said.

Amanda pointed to Babuto and repeated his words, "I am Babuto a warrior of the Zumari and I tell you to advance no further or you will be killed. You have shown great bravery to come into our city alone and that is the only reason you still live." Babuto nodded and two additional warriors stepped from the buildings on either side of Ryan.

Ryan had come to a halt about ten yards in front of Babuto and now he spoke softly into his ear radio, "If I am attacked by these two wound and not kill if possible." He then spoke to Babuto, "I have come for my mate if she has not been harmed and you release her we will leave in peace."

Through Amanda Babuto said, "The woman of whom you speak is mine now and I will not let her go. Now leave for I tire of talk."

Ryan forced back the urge to kill this green man and the two warriors on both sides and instead said simply, "I will not leave without her."

"Then die," and at Babuto's nod the two warriors charged.

Babuto watched in disbelief and dismay as four beams silently sprang to life. His warriors crumpled to the ground with their legs cut from beneath them. He saw they were in obvious agony.

A visibly shaken Babuto watched his two warriors cut down but the man who faced him had not moved or even flinched. Ryan spoke into his radio again quietly, "Bring the ACs out where they can be seen." Within seconds they appeared floating high above and he called Babuto's attention to them. "We can and will kill everyone who stands in our way or tries to stop us from setting Neona free. I will demonstrate our power." Ryan then spoke into his radio once more saying simply, "Demonstrate."

There was a single burst of gunfire and a nearby five-story ruin crumbled into small pebble sized debris. "I do not wish to kill you and your people," Ryan lied, "Set my mate free now for I too tire of talk." Once again, Ryan forced back his seething anger.

Amanda spoke to Babuto in a hushed whisper, "Babuto please if you do not do as told we will all die. Neona has told me some of the powers these strangers' posses and we can not stand against them. Please Babuto think of your egg that I carry inside me do you wish your child's death? Do you wish all of us to die just to satisfy your foolish pride?"

Babuto glared at the small woman at his side. Never had a slave spoken to him this way and though he cared for Amanda very much she was still his slave. He shrugged his shoulders and grudgingly told Ryan he would free Neona. Ryan agreed to wait where he was and Babuto turned leaving Amanda there, for Babuto was angry at Amanda.

He stomped into his living quarters, removed the chain on Neona's neck collar and picked her up, slinging her over his shoulder. He returned to face Ryan and set Neona beside Amanda.

"Are you ok?" Ryan asked Neona tensely prepared to initiate death and destruction if her answer was no.

"I'm alright but we need to talk," Neona said.

For the first time Ryan noticed the chains that bound Neona's wrists and ankles and the bruise that discolored her cheek. Anger boiled to the surface and Ryan addressed Babuto in a hiss, "Remove those chains immediately or I will kill you where you stand you fucking savage."

Neona saw the rage in Ryan's eyes and shuffled in front of Babuto putting herself between the two. "Please Ryan don't I'm ok. We need to talk."