[Galaxy Of Fear] - 04(25)

Deevee admitted, “Actually, Zak, on further consideration, I think I may have erred. It might be possible-“

“Besides,” Tash interjected, “Fajji said they’d invented new technology.”

“He was lying!” her brother insisted. “That brain creature must read minds and create the illusions. I really did see it. And we both just saw Gog. If Gog’s here now, that means he could have been here before-and I could have actually seen him experimenting on those two kids! We’re in big trouble here!”

He leaped to his feet. “We’ve got to get back to The Nightmare Machine. That’s the only way out.”

“That wouldn’t be wise,” Deevee quickly countered. “We should stay here.”

Zak furrowed his brow. “A minute ago you wanted us to find a hiding place. Now you want us to stay here?”

To Tash, Zak’s argument sounded unbelievable. She was willing to believe that hidden machines created the illusion of a rancor or another person next to her-but what machine could make her think an entire space station like Fun World was real, and keep up the illusion for two days? “Zak, if Gog were behind this, why wouldn’t he have just killed us? He’s had the chance.”

“I don’t know,” her brother said. “Maybe he’s testing out The Nightmare Machine creature. Think about it. It’s the fear we were put through, never the real danger. Every time we were about to actually get killed, we were saved by-” Zak stopped cold. He looked at Deevee. “We were saved by you.”

The droid stiffened indignantly. “I was merely doing my duty.”

Zak did not respond at first. He could not. He remembered how fast Deevee had run from the rancor. How Deevee had suddenly produced a laser torch to open the Whaladon’s mouth. How Deevee had appeared just as the Death Star was about to disintegrate them.

“You’ve been reacting to the holograms,” Zak said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“What?” Tash asked.

“Deevee’s been reacting to the holograms. The rancor. The Whaladon. The Death Star. He’s been treating them like they’re real. But he said he couldn’t do that, remember?”

The droid huffed. “Zak Arranda, I was merely doing my duty as your caretaker, as I have in the past.”

“If your opponent’s acting normal under unusual circumstances, you can bet he’s bluffing,” Zak recited Lando’s lesson.

He looked at his sister. “Tash. Deevee is a hologram, too.”

As the words left Zak’s mouth, Deevee emitted a roar of supreme rage. His body began to change. Small hatches opened up in his metal plating, producing laser weapons and vibroblades. His face changed into a gruesome metallic war mask.

Deevee had transformed into a battle droid.

Zak stumbled backward and tripped over the stone bench, barely dodging a slashing vibroblade as Tash scrambled out of the way. The battle droid that had once been Deevee hesitated a moment, unsure which target to pursue. Seeing his chance, Zak broke into a run, circling around the droid and joining up with his sister. Together they ran.

“D-Do we need to run?” Tash gasped. “I mean, if it’s just a hologram…”

“Ask Lando,” Zak sputtered in reply. “Whatever’s happening here, it’s real enough to kill if we let it. We have to find a way out. We have to get back to The Nightmare Machine.”

Zak turned down a street he thought led back toward the center of Fun World. But the nightmarish landscape had fooled him. Instead of heading toward The Nightmare Machine, Zak and Tash found themselves on the green gem path they’d followed when they first arrived at Hologram Fun World. Before they knew it, they were standing at the door to the airlock.

“Blaster shot!” Zak swore. “How do we get back to The Nightmare Machine?”

“If we’re already inside The Nightmare Machine, I’m not sure that would help, or that we could,” Tash guessed. “How did Fajji say to end the game?”

“Of course!” Zak said. He yelled at the top of his lungs, “End simulation!”

Nothing happened.

He yelled it again and again. Each time nothing happened-except that his voice drew the battle droid to them. The droid appeared at the far end of the path, stomping toward them.

“It’s not working,” Zak groaned.

“What’s the other way?” Tash tried to think. “Fajji said there was another way.”

Zak remembered. “To win the game, you have to face your worst fear. Maybe that’s what we have to do!”

“But we already have! We’ve lost our uncle! We lost Deevee! I lost the power I thought was the Force! What more could happen?”