Timeshock - I Want My Life Back by Timothy Michael Lewis Read Free Book Online Page B

exclaimed Nigel. “It can’t be.”
    “The Bilozians are a telepathic and empathic race - they sense the mood of their emperor and follow his lead.   At the time of the coronation in times past the Bilozian emperor bonded with another creature - usually an animal indigenous to the Bilozian home world - to give a new direction and perspective to the Bilozian race.”
    The emperor continued. “This tradition had fallen out of use and the Bilozians fell into their normal docile state, with no leadership from the emperor, free to choose their own destiny.”

    “So what changed?” asked Zac.
    “Oh, at the time of the coronation of this emperor, at exactly the moment when the creature bonding historically would have taken place, suddenly I appeared in a badly injured and burned state.   This was seen as an omen and the emperor bonded with me, Raymond Deville.”
    “But why go so aggressive, why not let mankind live in peace?” asked Nigel.
    “My body was not recoverable but my brain was, so the emperor carries me around with him, so I can steer the thoughts of 40 billion Bilozians across the galaxy.   With that kind of power you don’t sit and talk. You win.”

    “What are you going to do with us?” asked Zac.
    “Oh, I think I will have some fun with you two.   Guards! Take them to the cleansing suite!”   With that Zac and Nigel were dragged towards a set of booths where they were subjected to strong electro-magnetic fields designed to destroy any electrical devices on them.   Both their palm blasters fell off their hands - inert and useless.
    After this they were taken towards what appeared to be an ante-room adjoining a giant arena.   There were assembled crowds of excited Bilozians shouting and cheering in the arena.   The guards moved back and threw Zac and Nigel long spears.   One spoke: “The Emperor wants you to fight to death.   The winner lives!”

    Suddenly, the floor tilted up making Nigel and Zac slide into the middle of the arena.   Several thousand Bilozians sat screaming in anticipation of the fight.   Nigel could see the Emperor and Raymond’s head amongst the spectators in the arena.

    Nigel and Zac squared up. Zac, while pretending to fight spoke really quietly to Nigel -“do you still have the storage diamond?” he asked.  
    “Yes” said Nigel
    “It’s not electrical - have you got anything inside it we can use?” Zac said as he thrust his spear towards Nigel.
    “Of course!”   Nigel pulled out the storage diamond and activated it - the time machine appeared as well as a bag of items he had carried from the past.
    “If you can go back in the time machine then don’t worry about me!” said Zac unselfishly.
    “It’s not that I am excited about.   It’s this.”   Nigel held up Raymond’s now very old futuristic weapon.
    The Bilozian guards were rushing towards Nigel and Zac but Nigel pointed the weapon towards Raymond’s head and shot.
    The dart from the gun made sure Raymond’s head was vapourised completely.   Suddenly all the Bilozians went quiet as if a spell had been cast on them.   The guards rushing towards Zac and Nigel suddenly stopped and looked confused.

    “You’ve freed them,” an elated Zac declared.
    “Well, I created this mess in the first place - me and Raymond had a clash of time machines, so in some ways it is my fault,” apologised Nigel.
    “No - you are the saviour of the Bilozians and mankind,” Zac said to Nigel in an admiring tone.

    Abruptly, there was a loud siren and the lights of the whole complex started flashing red.   All the Bilozians started rushing for the exits.   Nigel forcibly stopped one to ask what was going on.

    “The Emperor, when under Raymond’s influence, set up the complex to self-destruct if he was ever destroyed.   We can’t countermand it!” replied the terrified Bilozian.
    Zac turned to Nigel and said “Take the time machine back in time.   That’s what you came here for.”
    Nigel looked sad