The Space Camels by Judith

Chapter 6.5: Gadoogi's Revenge - Continued

Zimbod looked down in disbelief at the empty crater. He glared up at the two girls, but they looked as concerned and curious as he felt. Glancing around, he walked forward, slowly, into the centre of the crater. Smoke continued to billow around him in thick ribbons of grey. Suddenly, there was a thump! - it was faint but there. Zimbod whipped around, looking about frantically. He looked for the two girls that had accompanied Gadoogi, but her couldn't see them from behind the thick smoke. Maybe they landed, he thought to himself, his eyes still darting around. All of a sudden, a sharp whistling sound cut through the silence as an arrow sliced through the air towards him. Quickly, he jumped to the side, the arrow narrowly missing him as it planted itself firmly in the ground. "You can't hide forever!" Zimbod yelled into the swirling mass of smoke that still continued to surround him. He heard a low chuckle; both male and female. "Oh, we won't need to..." Gadoogi's voice echoed around him. Zimbod stared into the void looking around frantically but carefully. He suddenly stopped as his one sharp eye spyed a small gap within the smoke. He saw the fabric of a spacesuit! Grinning to himself, Zimbod began circling, inching closer and closer towards the girl behind the cloud. "You'll never defeat me," he mocked, turning his gaze around the crater, "For I am too clever and besides..." he cut off menacingly, "You left one of your own uncovered!" he shouted gleefully, pouncing towards the shape behind the smoke. Zimbod hit something which knocked it over and there was a scream...

Gadoogi and the girls grinned triumphantly: it had worked! Zimbod looked confused as he stared down at the spare spacesuit that was hanging off a pile of debris and then stared around confused. When his eye met with Gadoogi's own blazing ones, they all saw realisation dawn on his face: he had been tricked! By a measly peasant camel and two Earthling girls! Zimbod was furious but stopped dead when he looked at them all, glowering at him. Zimbod carefully stood up under careful watch with Gadoogi pointing a crossbow at him, Judith repeatedly throwing and catching a space grenade and Jerry, wafting around a stick and some rocks. Vainly, he still tried to stand tall, but this was a fatal mistake... Gadoogi and the girls exchanged glances of sick joy and then Gadoogi shot Zimbod in the leg! With no other option, Zimbod got to his knees, bowing. Defeated.
Gadoogi turned to the girls and grinned, "Welp, we did it!" He exclaimed, still keeping his eye on Zimbod, who was scowling ferociously. "We sure did, Gadoogi my good friend," Jerry cried excitedly, "Good thinking about taking our spacesuits off Judith, we can breathe here." Judith smiled and a tinge of pink rose to her cheeks, "Oh it was nothing really," she giggled, then turned serious again, crouching down until she was eye-level with Zimbod, "Now, what are we gonna do with this little guy, hmm?" She smirked at him when he glared, then straightened up. Gadoogi shot him a hideous glare, then put his head to one side, thinking. "Hmm... I think what we'll do is make him take us to the prisoners, release them and then... Um... I don't know, what should we do?" He finished, looking back at Jerry and Judith. The girls smirked; "Send him to space with no oxygen!" Jerry declared. "Public execution!" Judith yelled, a manic look in her eye. They all stared at her silently. "What?" she asked, "You never wanted to do that?" They shook their heads slowly, Zimbod looking somewhat relieved. "Fine!" Judith muttered sullenly, crossing her arms and raising her shoulders in mock-annoyance. Gadoogi pondered, "I think..." he began, "I should lock you up in an escape pod with no food or water and shoot you out towards the sun!" He declared. He looked at the others and they all nodded in agreement. Zimbod looked terrified at the suggestion, "You can't so this to me! I am Zimbod the Almighty! I am your king!" Gadoogi glared at him, "You're an almighty pain in the ass, I'll give you that! And you're not my king - never have been and never will be! Now on your feet!" Shakily, Zimbod stood up. When he was finally standing, Gadoogi hit him on the hump, making him almost fall over again, "Now take us to the prisoners, and no funny business or I'll do what Judith said!" Zimbod had a mix of terror and anger in his eye as he led them towards the cells where he had locked up the prisoners.