[Splat]

Ah, forget the Oddworld story, I've got fans to please!

Chapter 16

Splat
I spoke to the laguameacy. I explained what it would have to do. “You must go in to the water. Tap on the bubble on the strange thing.”
“Won’t it break?”
“Not if you don’t do it hard, and use your knuckles instead of your claws.”
It nodded. I think it could sense that I was tense, worried.
“When it’s eyes open move back and swim away. It will probably shoot…“ it wouldn’t understand the concept of shooting “throw something at you that I can not describe. Dodge it and do not follow it. Fly out of the hole,” I pointed to the entrance of the pool “but fly out, don’t climb. You MUST be fast!”
“I understand.” It replied.
“Be careful.”
I knew it probably didn’t understand that last bit, but it slid in to the water. I waited, worried. I saw a bubbling on the surface. Then there was a loud bang, water sprayed out of the hole, and the temple shook! The slig had fired a bomb! I backed away from the water, just as the laguameacy burst out! Almost immediately afterwards the aqua slig shot out of the water and its glass helmet shattered as the pressure around it lessened. It landed on the purple marble roof next to the hole. The helmet then completely collapsed around it.
I walked towards it. It looked up at me and chattered wildly in some mad language that was impossible to understand. I guess this slig had a brain tumour or brain damage or something like that that made it impossible for it to talk properly. Or maybe a problem with its vocal chords. Then again, maybe it was just too terrified to talk properly. I don’t know, I’m not a medical doctor, I just do a few experiments with metal and magnetism and a few simple chemicals and stuff.
I rested my leg against it’s suit. My original plan had been to push it back in to the water and blow it up. It chattered even more loudly and I suddenly realised something. It didn’t ask to be here. It didn’t ask to have a horrible mother who sold it in to slavery. It didn’t ask to be assigned at the laguameacy temple, to have to kill Laguameacies, to attack mudokons.
It didn’t ask for any of this, and it didn’t ask for me to kill it. Instead, I reached down and ripped it from it’s suit.
“Try and have a happier life than your brothers,” I said to it, and then, gave it to the laguameacy. “Take it to the trees and leave it on the ground.” I said to it.
The laguameacy took it from me and flew with it over the roof. In a few seconds, it was back, and it dropped back in to the hole in the roof. “Come now,” it said, “I will take you to the peace marshes.” It said.
I dived in after it, not knowing that what I’d just done would effect the future of Oddworld.

President Martor
I was last to leave the stadium. I had planned to take the train to my mansion and take the rest of the day off. But as I came out I ran in to the V. I. Gs. I almost choked on my cigar when I realised they were from the Magog Cartel! One dressed in yellow, the rest in green. But I couldn’t read their expressions. They were keeping their faces plain.
“Grim business, all of this.” The one in yellow said. The colours of the cartel members clothes represent their rank. Green is low, then yellow, then red is one of the council. One of those is leader, but not even the other red-wearers know who.
I cringed at his word, grim.
“But you have coped with it well.” I felt a twinge of hope. “But your actions today were strange. It will stir up the press.” The glimmer of hope was snuffed out.
“I was acting as best as I could. He knew valuable information, and I was worried that he may say something… you know, give something away.”
The yellow-wearer seemed satisfied. “You have done well on the laguameacy project. This business with the lab is unfortunate but you have done a lot to cope with it. You’ve risen quickly and we believe you can go further. You never know where you’ll be by the end of the year.”
I smiled with relief. Then said “I will see what I can learn from Xalarr before I have him killed in private. He kept a lot of secrets and added extra details to his work.”
“Good. This has been an awful time for all of us and we look forward to seeing Splat in the Arena. And Abe too, if you can manage it. Then we’ll see. You can expect very good news after that show!”
The members walked away. I headed towards the station, my security guards warding off the news team after I told them that Xalarr wasn’t good enough for such an important death. I took the train back to my mansion and then I went and sat in the living room in front of the hearth.
What was it that Xalarr had meant, “fed in to another body”? And what was that about not knowing where I’d be by the end if the year? Could it mean, a green seat in the Cartel?
I thought. If Xalarr meant it… And all I had to do was catch Splat, possibly Abe and Munch. But fed in to another body…
Yes, I would catch the terrorists, but I wouldn’t kill them, no, I would make better use for them. And then, a green seat? No, no, no. I would aim much higher, a red suit was were I would be…

I think the next chapter is better, wait a minute, I'll just go check... Yup, it is!