The Dangers of Saving a Life

Chapter 22: Chocka

Hock note: While Milo and Kwin danced together to the rhythm of dark energy, Dr. Chocka was watching. 

Silly boy, thinking he could run from Axion. While he gyrated with Princess Charm Quark, Dr. Chocka watched from directly in their midst, contaminating his own body with their foul dark energy.

A tall and lanky boy danced in front of Dr. Chocka. This was the same one who had let him into the meeting, the red marks of disobedience flashing all over his lean body, his long arms and legs jerking uncontrollably.

"Lighten up," the boy said.

"Chocka will not lighten up."

The place erupted into such a cacophonous pandemonium that nobody even knew he was there. Of course, a few of them tried to get him to do it too, whatever it was they were doing.

"What's wrong with you?" another said, bumping into Dr. Chocka because he refused to move.

"Chocka sees your crime."

But in truth, he could not see their crime. He could not reach Axion and he could not access any information about them. Although he preferred to wear a gravity suit, in this case, it would obviously attract attention. However, the energy prevented him from communing with Axion.

Of course, he could certainly watch that silly boy, Milo Skart, as he gyrated and writhed like wretched Brownian motion. His Princess Charm Quark, a lithe and attractive girl with bright yellow shoes, moved in the same repulsive manner. He could also see into what the professor called the Drommel, but he resisted. He refused to enter into that other realm. He would not touch such evil.

"You're not doing it," an older woman said, putting herself in front of him. "Let me show you how."

He backed up and crossed his arms over his chest. "No. Chocka will not."

He would not defy Axion. Never again. Once, when he was young and foolish, he had asked a question of Axion. It was a simple question; an obvious question, but one that Axion did not appreciate. The experience terrified him. It changed him. He would not be the prominent dark energy specialist he was today if the experience had not changed him. He had grown up that day. He had learned to appreciate all that Axion had done for the world. He was forever thankful for the lesson but did not want another one. No, he would not be so brash again. 

The woman carried on with her gyrations. When he searched for the Milo Skart again, he found him even closer to the girl.

After the dancing died and the crowd conversed with each other, that was when he made his move. He watched as Milo and the princess swam their way through the sea of exuberant faces. He would have more than a word with the boy. He would carry out his rightful sentence from Axion. He had always been proud of his loud baritone voice. He had an authoritative voice. Now he used it. He raised his voice so everybody in the room could hear him.

"Let me tell you all about a most terrible young man." The crowd hushed. "Milo Skart is such a disgrace." He pointed towards Milo. "This boy right here has committed a hideous crime. He is a disgrace to our world."

Milo shrunk back as if he'd been slapped. Good. Moments ago, he'd been all smiles with his Princess Charm Quark, gallivanting as if he hadn't broken the law of Axion, pretending nothing was wrong. Now his silly smile vanished. Shame covered that disobedient face. He cowered down within the crowd. Even better. Let him cower.

"You stole a baby that didn't belong to you." He pointed a finger at him. "Yes, you. You had no right to take him. He was not yours. His mother was a criminal, and he was a ward of Axion. Now you are guilty of crimes against Axion. Serious crimes. Terrible crimes. Now you shall pay the penalty."

The attractive girl backed away from Milo as if he had become diseased. Milo shook his head, his expression panicked.

"No, Kwin, no, it's not- I didn't- I mean I did but I didn't- It's not like that- You- he's- not telling it the right way, now."

The girl backed further away from the silly boy. Everybody did, leaving him unprotected. Nobody spoke. Silence ensued throughout the large and open space, a long and sober silence, a painful silence, a silence through which everybody stared at the disgraceful boy.

Until the baby cried.

"There, there, now," said a soothing robot voice. "Let Aukle sing you a song."

This was his opportunity. The infant came first. While the silly boy defended himself, Dr. Chocka made for the baby. And once he took care of the baby, the boy would be next.

But he realized why the infant cried when the floor shook beneath his feet. It was like somebody's heart beating at regular intervals—somebody with a massive heart.

"It's coming this way."

"What is it?"

He didn't need to hear the answer. He knew Axion's tanks, although he'd never seen one coming at him before. When he looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows, he looked straight into two large square headlights. There were three cannons beneath the lights, and beyond the cannons were six thick legs thumping the ground. It was massive, marching toward them like some gigantic beast. He smiled. It was right on schedule. 

While they obsessed their puny little minds with the tank, he gazed around the room until he spotted the office in the corner. There, in front of a large desk, was a plump white machine on wheels instead of legs. It had a large circular head with two big lights and a smiling mouth, and its fat arms were holding a baby.

The baby. The dark energy baby. The one he had been searching for. Now he found the chance to carry out Axion's commands.