Nat's Descent: Part III

The elevator slowly descended to its final floor. Nat's heart beat like a drum. The final encounter was drawing near. The Tal'shok was waiting. Nat glanced over at Jim who could barely contain himself. The thin smile broadened into a real one. He was going to meet his idol. The featureless elevator finally came to a stop after what seemed to take hours. The dial stopped at its final point. Deck three.
         "Are you ready, Nat?"
         "I'm ready to leave."
         "I understand. But the Tal'shok comes first."
         "Why is he so important?"
         "Why, he's the sole reason we're leaving this ship. He's the sole reason that thought still exists in this world. The Tal'shok took a punishment for all of us so that we could be free."
         "I do not understand what you mean."
         "That is to be expected. People are not educated as they should be in today's time."
         The door of the elevator hissed as it opened. They stepped through, feet clanking on the metal flooring under them. The hall before them was gray and metallic, leading to a single door. It had a light above it, red like blood. The door itself looked sturdy. Made to keep things in. Made to keep things out.
         Jim urged Nat on. She gripped his arm, afraid of what they would see. What would come out to them? She was expecting another hall of faces, another spiked cage, and another roasted body. But things do not bode that well. God's wrath in punishment never ends. It never ceases. His greatest enemy is the Tal'shok. The Tal'shok started it all, and in return receives it all.
         Nat followed Jim closely, looking side to side at the gray walls, noting that there were no indents. They came up to the door. A computer terminal like the one they had seen in the elevator was at the side of the door, sitting there like a podium, the screen flashing. A digitalized face appeared on the screen, extremely plain. A text box appeared next to it.
         "Welcome."
         As the words appeared on the screen, a computerized voice followed up, sounding like one of those monotonous voice simulators that computers of old used to have, often used for comedic purposes now. For some reason the dull and repetitive tones disturbed Nat. She didn't understand it, but the feeling wouldn't go away. Jim spoke up.
         "Thank you, Tal'shok."
         "Are you ready?"
         "Of course, master."
         "Do not call me that."
         "Of course."
         "Enter."
         The door slowly opened after a prompt on the digitalized screen, a rush of chilly air hitting them. The heating systems seemed to be turned off or this was just the condition of the Tal'shok's room. The room they both entered was dark for a moment, but the weak lights blinked on, slowly revealing a medium sized room covered in horrors that Nat could not even begin to understand.
         What she beheld in that room were limbs and organs. All over. Seperated throughout the room setup like exhibits for all to see. Artificial veins ran across the floor, connecting all the severed organs and limbs into a pain system, bringing back all the information to the patient's brain so they could feel it all. Lying on conveyor belts that were lined up on the sides of the room were the arms and legs of the Tal'shok. They continuously went through a loop of pain and suffering. Through one stage the limb would go down the belt to a mechanical arm that would shave all the skin off the limb until it was fresh and red like new meat. Another arm would pluck the nails out of hands or feet slowly and methodically. After that the limb would go down the belt to receive treatment from a wondrous medical machine that would heal all the injuries and replace the skin once more. This was non-stop.
         The torso and genitals were at the center of the room. Held up by wires like a medical diagram, the cut open torso would reveal all organs. Tiny nanomachines would run across the organs like ants, cutting, slashing, and burning until the organs could take no more, whereupon a medical arm would restore them to their previous shape. The smell was unbearable. The genitals were by the torso, held up by a wire that would methodically dip it into a vat of hot oil until it was nearly bursting, the skin hardening and blackening like a burnt roast. It smelled like cooked meat. The genitals would be restored after each dip by the seemingly magical hands of the medical machines that covered this entire room.
         At the end of the room in the back was the head of the Tal'shok, connected to a computer that would register all pain back to his head, connected through all the artificial veins. His face was a horrifying sight. Claws from a machine held the head up from the ceiling, simultaneously stretched his skin out so it nearly ripped off like a mask. The eyes were pulled out of their sockets by claws that occasionally blasted them with heat, making the eyes water and cry eternally. His mouth is stitched shut by wires, two tubes going into his nostrils to feed him medicines. The Tal'shok was in a situation where he was completely immobile.
         Nat covered her face with her hands as she saw this, gasping in horror at these sights. Such torture before this room was nothing compared to what was seen here. The Betrayer had the best saved for last. God willed it. Nat was not aware of all the Tal'shok's wrongs, so she could not understand how he even deserved such a punishment as this. Only sick minds could create these contraptions. The sick mind of God.
         "Here he is, Nat. This is what God is hiding."
         "How is… How is this right? No criminal deserves this. None."
         "Some would disagree with you."
         "But they don't know what truly happens here. I never knew. Until now."
         "That is why I showed you to this, my dear. I think you are beginning to understand my intentions now."
         "Yes… People have to know. God cannot have this hidden much longer."
         "Just listen to what the Tal'shok has to say."
         Nat and Jim both walked towards the head. Nat was a bit behind Jim, afraid to go near the severed thing, dripping on the floor like that. The computer terminal next to it flashed like the one at the door. Words appeared on screen, and Nat was quick to answer them.
         "Now you see me in my prime, girl."
         "Yes… It is very terrible. More terrible than anything I've seen."
         "God has created some terrible things. Not many know this."
         "How did you even start the havoc on this ship? It was you, right? Jim kept saying it was you…"
         "It was. They tried to experiment with me. The pain system was not fully working in its prime. It's only a machine after all. In attempting to connect me to it completely they connected me to the entire console. I cannot explain how this happened, but I do not believe myself to be fully human anymore. I became one with the machine."
         "One with the machine?"
         "Yes. I gained control. That is how you escaped."
         "But what do you plan to do now?"
         There was a brief pause. A disturbing one. Nat looked at the head that was controlling all this, the face emotionless and dead. It was impossible to tell what emotions the Tal'shok was feeling at the moment due to the dull tone of the computer. Nat scratched her head nervously.
         "Is that a bad question?"
         "No."
         "Then what are you going to do?"
         "Kill God."
         "What?"
         "I am going to murder God. I am going to kill him in cold blood. I will make him bleed his immortal blood and drown in it."
         "But how?"
         "I have control of this ship. The coordinates are set straight to the Cathedral, God's abode. This ship will destroy the entire place. God will not survive."
         "You plan to crash this thing into that entire structure? What about the prisoners on ship?"
         "They deserve peace. I will give them it. They will be relieved of living. The ships medical machines are some of the best. With them we could live for an eternity. To God this was amusing."          
         Nat thought about how long the prisoners would be doomed to stay here. A prison without end. Without death or release. There was no peace in the end. No redemption. An eternity of God' wrath. Jim was nodding as the Tal'shok said this through the computer. What was Jim's purpose, anyways? This time the Tal'shok's words were directed at Jim.
         "You did well in a time of uncertainty. I should not have expected less from my greatest ally. You followed through and remembered an order that probably would have never been enacted. You found one pure of heart and showed them what was held here."
         "It was necessary, sir."
         "Good. You must take her away from here."
         "I understand."
         Nat looked at Jim. He was still such a mysterious fellow. From what she could tell he must have been one of the Tal'shok's finest men during the rebellion years. He took an order years before they were put into captivity to further fight God. The War wasn't over. It wasn't even started.
The Tal'shok directed his words to Nat
         "Jim will guide you for the remainder of your journey here."
         "Thank you for everything."
         "I am only finishing a job that I started years ago. Now go. You do not belong here."
         Jim grabbed Nat's shoulder lightly, smiling towards her, beckoning for her to follow him through the next door. She slowly turned towards it, looking back at the tortured face of the Tal'shok as she exited the room of horrors. The door closed behind them. Jim looked over to Nat as they walked down the hall to the final elevator.
         "You will be leaving the Baptism to a planet called Naaloth. It is a safe place. Filled with people like us. There you will have your Tracer removed."
         "Tracer?"
         "It's a device that is implanted in every inhabitant of this galaxy at birth. It's a module in your forearm that tells God where you are. It tells him where you sleep at night, what things you eat, what pain you go through. Not many know about it. They were created after the great War."
         "He completely moderates us?"
         "I'm afraid so. He'll be too busy observing the Baptism for now to notice anything, but once the assault is over, you'll be in danger. But the people of Naaloth will help you."
         Nat noticed that Jim was using a lot of "you's" instead of "we's." What was the man truly planning? His mysteriousness was something almost as eternal as God's wrath.
         "You're coming too, right Jim?"
         "I'm afraid not."
         "But why?"
         "I will die with the Tal'shok. It's the only way. There is nothing left for me in life other than ending what I fought for."
         "I… think I understand. But I don't like it."
         "I know. I am sorry that it has to be this way. I truly am."
         "I know."
         They continued to walk down the hall until they finally made it to the master elevator. The elevator could reach almost everything in the ship. Jim pressed the button, a clicking noise echoing through the empty hall. Nat waited with baited breath. This was the last elevator. It almost felt like a special moment. The last descent.
         The elevator doors opened. Something wasn't right though. Jim stepped in first, but stopped. Everything happened so quickly. A jagged piece of glass stabbed through Jim's throat, cutting the jugular and spilling red all over the ground and walls, covering Nat's face as he flung around. There was a man there. He had the red glass. Lying in wait in the shadows he waited for them in that elevator.
         Nat let out a scream and tried to turn and run but the man was too fast. He grabbed her from behind, panting like a dog, bringing the shard to her throat and dragging her into the elevator. Jim's body was slumped over inside it as well, awkwardly positioned. The cold hands of the man felt Nat, making her shiver in fear, but she could not take her eyes off the glass so close to her throat, dripping blood from her friend. The man's voice came out gravelly, saliva dripping from his mouth.
         "Quit fucking squealing or I'll cut your throat. That's more like it. You're a pretty girl. That's why I stalked around here for you guys. I wanted a little souvenir before I flew back home. Something to keep me entertained on the ride home. I would've cut that fuck-head sooner but you guys almost snuck up on me. Right after I killed that guard I heard the footsteps. I even left that damn pistol by accident because I was in such a hurry. But looks like it didn't do you no good, didn't it?"
         "Why didn't the Tal'shok tell us about you…?"
         "What was that? Shut your fucking mouth. That freak-show you're talking about thought I was a pretty nice guy. He said plenty of other came through before I did. I just pretended I was another good kid from the first deck that just wanted to get home to mommy. He bought it."
         The man pressed a button that went to the hangar, the door shutting and a grid to the side of them showing where the elevator was at. Nat could hardly breath in the grip of the man. She was crying, but did not make it audible. This man was dangerous. He was insane. He killed Jim. The cold glass was slightly pressed against her glass. She felt it scrape against it as the elevator jumped a bit. Nat did not dare gulp.
         The elevator stopped. The door opened. The criminal walked out, Nat held carefully so she could not get free. Nat bit her lip. She still had the gun. It was tucked carefully into her pants. The man probably didn't notice it. He probably thought Jim had the gun. He was wrong. The hangar was dark. The lights were off. The man swore, looking around for some sort of switch. He found one, and the instant he reached out to flip the switch, Nat leaned forward and bit the man's hand as hard as she could, feeling warm blood rise up in her mouth. The man screamed and she rolled out of his grip, running as fast as she could.
         The hangar was quite large, consisting of numerous of stairs leading down to ships below and catwalks above. Nat took the stairs up high, cursing nervously as she made that mistake, but there was no turning back. The man roared like an animal, screaming at her. As soon as he saw her silhoutte from above he was running towards her like a bull, going up the stairs to the catwalks and charging at her.
         "You little bitch. I'll cut you good. I'll cut you real good. You'll feel it like your friend."
         Nat shrieked as she took a sharp turn, almost falling off the catwalks to the ships below. She took out the gun, readying it like she saw in the cinemas. It worked. The gun could shoot now. She stopped in her tracks and turned, facing the fierce man with the gun pointed straight at him. He dumbly looked down the barrel, surprised that he forgot to check her for it. He assumed the man had it. Just like Nat expected.
         "You can't fucking shoot me. You're mine. You're too scared."
         "I'm not scared."
         "You're shaking."
         "I have the gun."
         "Give it up."
         "No."
         "Come on. Just put it down."
         The man was slowly creeping towards her. She was breathing heavy. Nat had never pulled a trigger before. The thought of shooting another human was a frightening one to her. But this was no human. It was an animal. An animal that neither God nor the Tal'shok would support. A living nightmare in the flesh.
         "Stop walking towards me."
         "That's not going to happen."
         "I'll shoot you. I swear that I will."
         "Murdering someone is against God. You know that, right?"
         "I don't care. It's not murder. You deserve it. You killed Jim. You tried hurting me. The Tal'shok would never accept someone like you."
         The animal walked towards her slowly, grinning as he did so. Nat clenched the gun. The grips were getting slippery with sweat. Her finger was held on the trigger, millimeters from firing off a cold bullet. In a split second the man lunged at her like a boar, the glass knife in his hand as he came closer and closer to stabbing her. Nat didn't have time to think. She closed her eyes in fright and fired, a shot going off blindly towards the madman. She felt warm blood splash onto her and a cut graze her right arm while she closed her eyes. Nat opened them to see the madman flying past her, a bullet in his heart, smashing into the railings and falling off the catwalk to the ships below. A sickening noise was heard. Nat did not look. She dropped the gun in fright. Killing someone was not something she was accustomed to.
         Her arm was cut as the man missed her due to rapidly dying. It bled profusely, but it was nothing compared to what Jim suffered. Nat remembered her old friend and ran down the stairs to his body on the elevator, clenching her hurt arm. When she met Jim's body he was cold. There was no chance of his survival. His eyes were wide open so she shut them quickly, not wanting to peer into them. Nat couldn't bring herself to tears. Jim was such a mystery to her that she did not miss anyone. Would she miss that disturbing smile? Would she miss his tours? She did not know. All she did know was that Jim got the death he wanted.
         Nat took a few of Jim's identification belongings and stuffed them in her pocket. She wanted to learn more about the man. Maybe Jim wasn't even his real name. There had to be something on him in the great archives. Nat stepped away from the body and made her way down the stairs to the ships. There weren't many left, but she spotted a small one that looked to be suitable for a small group of people. It was shaped like a bird. A metallic bird. Nat entered the door into the ship, finding herself in the slightly comfortable interior. It wasn't fancy, but many things were there for her. A medical machine was on board, a few comfy looking chairs were set up, and all the facilities needed were there.
         Nat scratched her head, walking towards the cockpit of the ship, looking out the cockpit window and then down to the controls. She started the ship, but did not know where to go from there. Suddenly a computerized voice came on. It surprised her.
         "A new user has boarded. Please tell me your name."
         "Natalie Adams."
         "You are now the registered user of this ship, Natalie. Please input commands."
         "Set autopilot for the planet of Naaloth."
         "Very well. Course set for Naaloth. Autopilot set."
         Nat's commands were finished and the ship slowly rose out of the hangar into the reaches of space. Nat looked out as the Baptism flew farther and farther from view. This was her first time seeing the vessel from the outside. It was dark gray, looking almost like some sort of tank. It was the largest ship she had ever seen. Nat took a seat and the medical machine began to work on her arm. Her tour of the Baptism was over. The Tal'shok was heading on a course for revenge and now she was going to carry out more of his plans to bring God down. She lost a good friend and was forced to kill someone, but Nat's feelings were still mixed about the experience. Nat would be in shock for a long time, sure, but she was almost happy she went through it all. It could just be her already disturbed psyche messing with her, though.
         Nat's descent was over. Her journey, however, was just getting started.