[Munch's Master]

Attack of the new chapter!
2 replies is betterthan no replies, so next chapter it is!


Warning: There's angry Sligs. That usually results in swearing. Those who don't like naughty words cover your eyes at those bits.

Chapter 25: Confession of a Traitor

Merrick eyed Max closely. He withdrew the proffered cigarette.
“Heh, you keep sneerin.”
He put the cigarette into his own mouth, joining the other one like a pair of rollers on a mangle.
“So, who set the whole shebang up?”
Max was cold fury “You already know that.”
A smirk. “Do I? Well, yer pals seem ta think the tit in the chant chains planned it. Somehow I doubt that.”
Max cocked his head “Planned what?”
Merrick rolled his eyes “Ha. Like you don’t know that. You’re the one who bloody squealed to us about it.”
Max shook his head “I was told to start a riot. I didn’t know anything about an escape plan.”
Merrick smirked, and spat out the more us up of his two cigarettes “Funny, cause the Slig what heard your account says you said all about an escape plan, on the train, this afternoon.”
Max narrowed his eyes.
“Quit scrabshittin’ me mud.”
“You already know who planned it. The one you’ve arrested. He told me to start a riot in the train station. I later overheard him mention an escape attempt to Larry. I put two and two together and worked out what they were doing. That’s what you already know, that’s all I know.”
Merrick grinned “So, this Larry….Was he all there?”
Max’s eyes glimmered, more anger bubbling like broth. “He seemed a bit odd. Everything Trevor asked him seemed like a rhetorical question, or like he knew what the answer was gonna be. It seemed more like he was instructing than discussing.”
Merrick’s smile vanished, as though it had never been there “Why the sudden change of heart, scum? Why’re ya suddenly decidin’ ta lie to us? Not ta worry. We’re checkin’ stuff, we’re gonna talk to the big boss. You’ll get whats comin ta yer anyway, too late for you ta save yer skin now. We just need the clearance. Until then, I’ll let ya stew with yer buddies. See what they make of yer betrayal.”
He spat the other cigarette out, and opened the door. The 2 Sligs outside quickly burst in and gripped Max. With Merrick leading the way, the 3rd interviewee was frogmarched back on his way to the mudokon cells.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trevor looked up from his slump as the door to his cell again opened. He was growing ever more despairing of this room, and he’d only been in it a few hours. The door then closed again, and the bickering of Sliggish voices reached his ears.
“Get outta here! I’m speakin’ ta this slave alone! Don’t want you nosy tossers eavesdroppin’ on me.”
“Our job’s ta guard the prisoner!”
“Well right now I don’t care. I need ta speak with this slave. An’ as fer security, I’ve got stuff ta do involvin’ that. Ask the big boss himself if ya don’t believe me.”
Trevor couldn’t make out the next argued conversation, Sliggish squawks punctuated with the odd intelligible swearword was all that he could hear. Finally-
“Fine then. But 10 minutes. No more.”
The clinkety clackety pitter-patter of Slig steps set off down the corridor, and the door reopened.
The Slig walked in and sat down opposite him.
“I’m surprised to see you here Arthur.”
Arthur laughed. On his way back from Godrar’s, he had found out about the arrest and decided to make his way over. He’d also procured a bottle of brew from a Vendo, from which a quarter was already drained.
“Don’t be surprised. Don’t be flattered neither. I do have some security business ta be getting’ on with while I’m here.”
Trevor rolled his eyes. He was afraid slightly yes, never knowing what Arthur may be like anymore, but the fear was irrelevant. He was on death row anyway, a bit of a kicking from a Slig didn’t phase him anymore.
“I’ve already been interrogated you bastard. If you’re here to berate or thump me get it over with and go.”
Arthur took a deep swig of his Brew.
“Getting an attitude Trevor. It’s not like I remembers ya.”
Trevor was irritated. He’d been questioned repeatedly, knocked about, and had days to live at best. “Fond memories?” He said mockingly, the feelings of betrayal from years ago burning like flames in his eyes.
Arthur’s head twitched. He again reached for his Brew, almost impulsively, or as a reaction. After setting the bottle down, now less than half full, he spoke. “You have no idea…no idea, how true those joking words of yours are. I came here ta try and work out why ya did it. And whether you really DID set up this lil’ escape plan, which I doubt, an why you’re lying if ya didn’t. But now….somehow I don’t feel like it.. Speakin’ about that would just leave a sour taste in my mouth.”
Trevor leaned forwards in his chair, locking eyes with the Slig “Then why are you still speaking to me Arthur? What is it?”
A pause. Arthur then gripped the bottle again, and drained the remnants in one gulp. An eye flickered to the security camera, recording all. “In case you haven’t noticed, I haven’t liked it here much lately. My every move bein’ followed. Sligs off their rocker tryin’ ta make me rebel. The same Slig’s death on my conscience. Shit pay, no promotion hopes, enemies everywhere but not a single friend. Years ago, I used ta be happy. At Vykkers’ Labs, when I was barely more than a Sliglet, I worked hard. I cared. Then I saw some of the stuff the Vykkers did. Stuff that wasn’t needed. Things they did ta the Sligs an’ Interns, I didn’t give a shit ‘bout the mudokons. Things they did fer their own pleasure. I lost my interest in work. I didn’t wanna try anymore, not fer that end result. I had a Vykker friend, he got me out. I went ta the Barracks. Got some Slig friends. We hunted muds, enforced discipline, and were occasional odd job Sligs fer small time factories. An’ again, I saw unnecessary cruelty. Muds getting beat ta death by Sligs cause they wanted ta use ‘em as stressballs. They didn’t care about losin’ a couple of the natives they tracked, the fun was worth the money loss. My last bit of effort vanished. And I know hwy this all happened. When Sligs are young, they have the kindness beat out of ‘em at Barracks’. Usually. I didn’t- I went straight to a Labs. It was short staffed, they needed Sligs. I lost my kindness the harder way. I lost my effort too.”
He looked at the empty Brew bottle briefly before continuing.
“I wasn’t working well enough or fast enough. So I got a transfer ta FeeCo. Fer Sligs, that’s basically the Cartel’s way of keeping the unemployment figures low. FeeCo pay is bottom of the barrel, an’ so’s career prospects. I was fine with the nothingness of it, cause I didn’t need ta try. Then, Rupture Farms re-opened. They put out ads, I applied. They musta been desperate cause I got in. And then, things changed. The boss didn’t enforce the old militarist rule, the inst, instut, instata-”
Trevor prompted “Institutionalised?”
Arthur nodded with a mix of anger and gratitude “Yeah, that. It wasn’t there. We were allowed ta find our own jobs. The muds were treated as workers not slaves. Now, I was past carin’ about that. So I made friends, mudokon AND Slig. My old Vykker buddy ended up there as well. I made the odd enemy too. Or at least, antisocial. I remember one, some dark mudokon that mighta been female, but was so butch ya couldn’t really tell if she was one o’ them rare hatches or not. Slapped the heck outta me. But I was happy again. I became the flippin’ cook fer the Interns. Rest of my cookin’ wasn’t great, but the Interns liked my food. Then, some Slig nabbed my recipes an’ I was redundant. I had no way of movin’ up the ladder. An’ then, ta cut cost, I got quietly offered ta leave. An’ I was transferred here. An’ cause of the mud friends I’d made, I’d gone soft. I thought it might be similar here, or at least hoped. An’ it isn’t the same, not even close. A lot of me wants them old days back at the Farms, but part even wants the old days here. I was always in fights, bottom of the barrel, but I somehow had buddies. Even if them buddies, like you, were the biggest fuckin’ liability I could have. But I can’t have them days. All I coulda got was out. And I can’t even get that now.”
Trevor looked at Arthur with a mix of pity and regret. ‘You could’ve had those days Arthur, if you hadn’t tried to fit in. You made things worse by trying to make them better, didn’t you? But worst of all, you’re gonna get yourself killed Arthur. That camera will have seen all this.'
“A Slig’s average lifespan is 20 years. Maybe 25 if they’re lucky. I’m 18. The booze, the fags, the fights, an the damn stuff goin round in my head won’t have helped. I don’t wanna die workin’ here. But I’ve got 18 months ta run on my job, an’ no way out. You’re gonna die in a day or two. But at least you’re out. Me? If I’m lucky, I might mess up my job an’ get a quick death. If not, I’m gonna die of age in this place. Septik Snaks. The last great food franchise on Oddworld. My last restin’ place.”
Trevor’s eyes suggested the merest of glances at the camera “Your job? This the guard job or the one you’re here on?”
Arthur shook his head “Either. Doesn’t matter.”
He glanced at the door. “I reckon I’ve five minutes left ta talk here. Security Centre’s a good 3 minutes from here. Barracks moreso.”
He stood up and punched Trevor, before unholstering his rifle and aiming at the camera. A quick burst of fire, and the camera was blown to pieces.
Trevor yelped “What on Odd was that for!?”
Arthur re-slung his rifle “The camera was so we can talk candidly. The punch was so I’ve an excuse fer shootin’ the camera. The camera was also cause part of my new job involved that.”
‘Shoot a camera eh, Boss? There ya go.’
Arthur gripped Trevor and smashed his face onto the table, before throwing him back in his seat. “I’ll need ta rough ya up a bit so it looks convincin’.”
Trevor spluttered, before regaining his voice “What do you wanna…gack…talk about?
The sound of a security breach buzzer blared in the distance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Merrick’s henchmen entered the Mudokon cells precinct. One quickly unlocked the cell door, and the other slung Max in. One of the Sligs grinned through the classically jail-styled bars. “There’s yer friend. Maybe you should watch who he’s talkin’ too next time.”
Larry and Jeff looked up to see Max tumble down beside them. Jeff went over to Max, who didn’t move from the floor but was clearly alert. Larry started to, but then the Slig’s words registered.
“What do you mean?”
The 2nd Slig cackled “Well, you was screechin’ on about who betrayed ya earlier. See if he knows the answer!”
The guards locked the door, turned and left. Larry’s eyes widened in shock, then turned dark. He swung his head to face Max, who was still lying on the floor. Jeff had backed away, but Max didn’t look angry. He looked distraught.
“What!?” Larry’s voice snapped like a whip.
“Larry, it’s not like that.”
Larry’s eye twitched. His mouth opened incredulously. “How is it not like that? You betrayed us? You Max, of all people?!”
Max looked Larry in the eye, his own eyes full of remorse “Larry, I can explain.”
The green skinned believer walked towards the prone Max “I don’t think you can.”
“Larry, I can explain, please.”
“No Max, please, I don’t think you can!”
The smaller mudokon lashed out with a slap. The blow wobbled the much bulkier Max, but he was already laid flat so had nowhere to fall. Max’s resistance only seemed to aggravate Larry, and he reared back for another slap.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The Slig guards came pounding along the corridor, and kicked the door open, hurrying in one behind the other. They both aimed their rifles, only to see Arthur grinding Trevor’s face into the edge of the table, teeth gritted in anger.
“What the fuck’re you doing!?” One Slig yelled.
“What the fuck’re you doing?” Arthur retorted.
“No, we asked first! What the fuck’re you doin!?” The 2nd Slig followed.
“So? There’s 2 of you an’ 1 of me so I need ta ask again fer it ta balance out. What, the fuck, are you, doin’!!!?” Arthur snapped.
The first Slig marched to point blank range, almost ramming the barrel into Arthur’s face. “Why’d ya shoot the camera!!!? This little shit coulda broken out!?”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed “I shot it ya pillock ,so I could beat the hell outta him however I wanted without desk security pricks like you getting’ on my back fer it?!”
The 2nd Slig fired his gun in the air “Well ya didn’t think it through very well did ya!? Ya bloody shot a camera, yer in deep shit now!”
Arthur released Trevor furiously. “I don’t give a damn. What will ya do? Fine me? Stick me in the cells fer a bit? Ya can’t kill me for shootin’ a camera. An you didn’t think firin’ yer gun through either ya idiot! 2 gunshots? Merrick’ll swarm on here!”
The first Slig lowered his rifle “This is your bloody fault!”
Arthur rolled his eyes and made to walk past. “Never said it wasn’t did I, Slogbrains.”
The two Sligs barred his way with their arms.
“Lemme go past. I’m goin to the security office ta explain it ta Merrick. That’s what ya wanted isn’t it?”
The first Slig, clearly the leader, or at least smarter, of the two, spoke. “You better go there. If ya don’t, we ain’t takin’ it in the neck. We’ll find ya and mess ya up fer it.”
Arthur picked up his empty Brew bottle.
“I’m so scared of yas! Look at this! Whole bottle of Brew an’ I’m standin, whole bottle! What makes you think you can do more?!”
He laughed sarcastically, threw the bottle against the corridor wall, where it shattered, and marched off to the Security Office.
‘Whether Merrick’s here or not don’t matter. If he’s there, I can get outta this mess. If he ain’t, I can do what the boss wanted and maybe start ta find a way outta here.’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Palms rained down again and again, slap after slap, flesh stinging flesh, the noise echoing round the cell. The handful of mudokons cramped into the room watched on as Larry continued to strike Max.
After yet another slap, Max’s hand shot out, gripping Larry’s wrist. The bulky mudokon pushed forcefully, and Larry staggered back. But Max made no move in aggression. He remained lying there, the stinging slap marks bright pink on his already mildly red skin.
Larry’s rage had subsided. It was replaced instead by a terrible wave of disappointment. “Why Max? Why….why’d ya do it? I mean, Roy and Stan, they heard us first talking about it. If it was anyone, I’d have thought it was one of them.”
Roy, one of the onlookers, spoke up “Don’t be even stupider than you always are, Larry. We don’t like you, but we half self preservation. If we’d spoke up, we could’ve been linked as accomplices.”
Larry sighed. “Why Max?”
Max also sighed, before standing up and facing the wall. He beat it with his fist, before looking at his hand and seeming incensed. He struck the wall over and over, not stopping until he drew blood from his own knuckles. Finally he turned and looked at Larry, a tortured shell of the normally imposing goliath he was.
“It’s not as simple as why Larry. Truth is, I never wanted to betray you. Nor did I mean to.”
He sat back down on the floor, leaning his back against the wall. “I didn’t tell them, per se…..I was working. Cause of that whole Zulag rota there is now, there were mudokons from other Zulags in with me. When the nearest Slig was snoozing, one of them came over to me. He asked me what all the ruckus in the canteen had been about. What all the whispered conversation. I told him to leave it……He wouldn’t. He kept on and on, saying the Slig was asleep, nobody would overhear. So….I told him. Just to shut him up. I couldn’t think of a lie. I was irritated and when I get annoyed I don’t think fast. My voice got a bit raised. The nearest Slig, he”
Max frowned, and wrought his hands together.
“……he woke up. He heard it all and, when I went to file out, stopped me. He demanded I tell him about it.”
Larry narrowed his eyes “Did he say he’d kill you?”
Max nodded “Not just me. He said he’d get the other mudokon to tell him who the people I was talking to were, then kill them. In other words, kill you. He said he’d kill the guy I told too. Me, you, Jeff, Trev….All 4 of us. Maybe Roy and Stan if they got ID’d too. And a guy who got wrapped up in it cause he kept asking questions….Even though he had no clearance to do it, he could claim a workplace accident, or maybe just say we all planned it and use that as grounds….So I told him.”
Larry was deadpan “How much?”
Max hid his face in his hands “Almost everything. I didn’t say who planned it, cause then I knew you’d be dead. He pressed for the leader, I said I wasn’t sure who was quite in charge cause it was arranged together, but that when we were brought in he could probably find the ringleader. When they spoke to me again afterwards, I stuck to Trevor’s lie. They know it’s shit, but they can’t do any more….Can’t execute us until they can prove you weren’t possessed, and that me and Jeff knew it was a breakout. I’ll probably end up dead, but Merrick’s said he’s not gonna kill me yet cause he likes having an informant in with the mudokons……I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry. But I couldn’t do anything else.”
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Next chapter on its way in a week or so again.