In celebration of the king’s impending skin shedding, the Maankaari were planning a tournament. A huge arena had been constructed in a hangar. Thousands of seats, and VIP boxes overlooking a pit where the tournament would happen. The fighting pit had a high wall and was 30 meters by 30 meters.

The Maankaari were beginning to fill into the hanger. There were foodstands set-up, where the Maankaari could get refreshments - beers, hotdogs, popcorn, and burgers.

The tournament was billed as a battle between species and across time. Humans would fight dinosaurs. Dinosaurs would fight Maankaari. And Maankaari would fight humans.

The Maankaari were represented by the elite of the King’s guard. Towering nearly 3 meters tall, and dressed in shiny metallic battle armor. The king’s guard would fight with spears and long katana-like blades. The dinosaurs were represented by Dakotaraptors. A fierce feathered dinosaur that stood over 2 meters tall, and that had a mouth full of razor sharp teeth and powerful hindlegs that had huge hooked talons. The humans were represented by a taxi driver from Mumbai, and a dentist from Cape Town that had been kidnapped by the royal commandos.

The arena was full. The crowds were cheering and enjoying the atmosphere. The king arrived in the royal box, and the Maankaari crowd stood and cheered their cherished monarch. The king was wearing his red Eddie Murphy suit, and was smoking a cigar and swigging cognac from a bottle. The king was accompanied by the lord-chamberlain.

‘Your grace’ - said the lord-chamberlain, as the crowds cheered the king - ‘The first bout will be between the master sergeant of your guard, and a vicious beast’

The king had placed his cigar in an ashtray, and was now smoking meth in a glass pipe.

‘Let’s get on with it’ - said the king, coughing as he exhalled the meth.

The lord-chamberlain gave a nod to the vice-chamberlain and then the arena was filled with the booming sounds from dozens of giant Alphorns.The crowd cheered.

An announcer spoke over a tannoy.

‘Maankaari, in honor of our most majestic ruler’s shedding of the skin - his most royal majesty is pleased to present you with the games of death!’

The crowd cheered even louder.

‘Maankaari, today we will witness a spectacle that spans species and time. You will see brutal deathmatches between savage beasts and our heroic Maankaari royal guard’

More cheering from the crowd.

‘Our first fight is between Master Sergeant Haankoo Ashraamp of the King’s own royal guard and a wild, flesh eating beast captured on the hostile plains of this planet we have conquered’

A door slid open in the pit below the cheering crowds and Sergeant Ashraamp stepped into the fighting pit. The sergeant was wearing a glistening figure hugging silver suit, and had in its hand a 4 meter long spear.

The crowd cheered.

The sergeant bowed to the king in the royal box, and the king smoked more meth and waved at the guard.

A door on the opposite side of the fighting pit slid open, and a Dakotaraptor poked its snout out of the doorway. The dinosaur stepped into the fighting pit, and the crowd erupted into loud cheers - stamping their feet on the floor of the area.

The Dakotaraptor was a stunning beast. It was over 2 meters tall, and about 6 meters long. The dinosaur was covered in dark brown, red, and golden coloured feathers, and had wing-like upper limbs with longer feathers. Around the Dakotaraptor’s neck was a spiky mane of feathers that were dark red and golden in color. The Dakotaraptor stepped more into the fighting pit, its head moving quickly from side to side - and its large eyes watching the sergeant on the other side of the fighting pit.

The Dakotaraptor moved slowly and cautiously - always moving its head and always watching the sergeant.

The giant Alphorns blared again, filling the area with sound. The announcer spoke again.

‘As per the request of his most royal majesty - this will be a fight to the death and no mercy may be shown. And now, Maankaari - let’s get ready to rumble!’

The crowd cheered. The Dakotaraptor moved around the edge of the fighting pit slowly - watching the sergeant, and the sergeant walked around the fighting pit in the other direction, with spear in hand.

The Dakotaraptor was making a clicking noise, and bobbing its head up and down. The sergeant moved confidently and slowly. The two animals watching each other - waiting for something to happen.

The king re-lit his cigar and swigged cognac.

‘I want blood’ - the king said to the lord-chamberlain

‘I think it will be coming soon, your grace’ - sid the lord-chamberlain

The Dakotaraptor and the sergeant continued to size each other up - moving in circles, and then the sergeant's foot got caught on the ground, and it momentarily lost its footing. The Dakotaraptor pounced - leaping with its powerful rear legs and covering the distance to the sergeant in the blink of an eye. The sergeant regained its footing, and the Dakotaraptor was upon it. The Dakotaraptor brought down its leg, and a huge hooked talon pierced the sergeant's body armor and embedded itself in the sergeant's thigh.

The Dakotaraptor shrieked a terrible sound, and it flapped its winged and feathered limbs. The sergeant’s leg collapsed, and the Dakotaraptor lunged forward and bit the sergeant’s chest plate.

The Dakotaraptor lept away from the sergeant, and green blood poured from the puncture hole in its thigh and chest. The Dakotaraptor made more clicking noises, and bobbed its head up and down - watching the injured sergeant.

The crowd cheered - the crowd wanted blood and gore and death.

‘There’s the blood you were looking for, your grace’ - said the lord-chamberlain.

The sergeant regained its footing, and held the spear out in front of itself. The Dakotaraptor continued bobbing its head and making clicking noises. The sergeant was having trouble moving, and the Dakotaraptor was trying to get behind the sergeant. The sergeant stumbled and turned as the Dakotaraptor circled it - the end of the spear just a meter in front of the dinosaur.

The Dakotaraptor moved quicker, and the sergeant swung around and lunged towards the animal with the spear and missed. The Dakotaraptor saw its chance, and leaped onto the sergeant's back, and sunk the hooked talons into the alien’s back - ripping the armor away and splitting the green skin and flesh inside apart. The sergeant was in a bad way. The sergeant stumbled forward and the Dakotaraptor followed behind, leaping again and slashing with its talons at the sergeant’s back. The sergeant fell forward, and the Dakotaraptor jumped onto the sergeant’s back - and began ripping lumps of flesh away from the body.

The Dakotaraptor made an ear splitting shriek, flapping its winged limbs - and then bit down on the sergeant’s neck, killing the alien.

The crowd cheered, the Alphorns bellowed, and the announcer spoke.

‘Maankaari, the brave master sergeant fought valiantly - but is no more!’

The Dakotaraptor was tearing flesh away from the alien’s body and swallowing the lumps, and making clicking noises.

‘Our next bought will be a fight across time and space, Maankaari. From many millions of years in the future, we will have the champion of the humans - Vinish Kumar, fighting Captain Haaraaga Harragga from the king’s guard’

Until this morning Vinish Kumar had been driving a taxi in Mumbai. He had started the day early with some chai and some bread and chutney, and then headed out to start his shift driving a taxi he rented from his uncle. Vinish Kumar was 23 years old, and single. He had wanted to get a job in IT, but the universe had other ideas for him. Vinish Kumar didn’t mind not working in IT, and he didn’t mind being a taxi driver. He earned some money, and he helped his family to survive. Vinish Kumar didn’t like the traffic in Mumbai, or the fumes, or the heat in summer. But there were a lot worse off people than him - he will tell himself.

Vinish Kumar was waiting in the taxi rank outside the JW Marriot hotel, when a man wearing olive green army fatigues climbed into the back of his taxi.

‘You cannot get in here’ - said Vinish Kumar - ‘You have to go to the front of the line’

The man had a strange grin.

‘Hello Buddy’ - said the man

‘I said you cannot get in here - you have to go to the front of the line’ - said Vinish Kumar

And then there was a bright white light, and Vinish Kumar was floating in whiteness. He moved - or he tried to move - but he couldn’t seem to get anywhere. Vinish Kumar didn’t know how long he had been in the white light. He was just floating. Vinish Kumar thought he was maybe dead. That he was floating in the clouds.

And then there was a noise - and then the white light seemed to be moving and there was pressure. And then Vinish Kumar was standing underneath the arena and was surrounded by strange green men and he couldn’t understand anything. Vinish Kumar thought he must be dreaming. The green men were laughing and saying things to each other, and Vinish Kumar didn’t understand any of it. And then one of the green men had a knife, and they were cutting off his clothes. And then he was naked. And then they put a brown smock over his head, and tied a rope around his waist. Then the green men put a chain around his neck, and then one of the green men said…

‘Have you been in any battles or combat before?’

And Vinish Kumar didn’t know what to say, as he was dreaming. And then the green man said again…

‘I am talking to you - do you have any combat experience?’

And Vinish Kumar said - ‘No’

And the green men were laughing. One of the green men put a sword in his hand and said…

‘Well, just go out there and have some fun!’

And then another green man said…

‘Just put on a good show’

And then they laughed again. And then the green men walked Vinish Kumar over to a door. And Vinish Kumar could hear crowds cheering, and horns. And Vinish Kumar was scared, and Vinish Kumar said…

‘Is this a dream?’

And the green men laughed again.

And then the door slid open, and the green men pushed Vinish Kumar out and the door slid down. And Vinish Kumar could hear a voice talking…

‘Maankaari - please welcome the hero and champion of the human animals. Vinish Kumar’

And the crowd cheered, and Vinish Kumar looked around. There were thousands of the green men standing and shouting and cheering and stamping. And then the voice was saying something again…

‘...and his opponent in this deathmatch from the king’s guard is Captain Haaraaga Harragga’

The crowd was cheering again. And a door opposite Vinish Kumar slid open and a very tall man dressed in silver stepped out of the door. The tall man was holding a long sword. And Vinish Kumar looked around the cheering crowds again. And Vinish Kumar was now very scared. Vinish Kumar turned to the door he had walked out of and banged on it. Vinish Kumar looked over his shoulder, and the tall man with the sword was standing and looking at him through the silver helmet.

Vinish Kumar dropped the sword and banged the door harder.

‘Oh this is most unsportsman-like’ - said the lord-chamberlain to himself, tutting.

Then Vinish Kumar heard the horns blare again, and the crowds cheered. Vinish Kumar turned and the tall man with the sword was walking towards him. And then the tall man said something…

‘Pick up your sword’

And Vinish Kumar didn’t know what to say, he was terrified so he said…

‘What?’

And the tall man said…

‘Pick up your sword you fucking coward’

And Vinish Kumar bent down and picked up the sword with both hands and held it out to the tall man.

The crowd was booing. The tall man spoke again…

‘Take it by the handle’

Vinish Kumar adjusted the sword, and held the sword by the handle and then smiled at the tall man.

The tall man in a single motion swung his blade and struck Vinish Kumar on the left shoulder. The blade was struck with such force that it cut through Vinish Kumar’s body and cut him in two from the collar bone to the groin. Vinish Kumar split in two, and the two parts fell away from each other. A large puddle of red blood appeared around the two halves of Vinish Kumar. Vinish Kumar lay on the floor and heard the crowds roar and cheer. The tall man in the silver suit was bowing to someone. Vinish Kumar’s vision became blurred and then he died.

‘They have no honor, your grace’ - said the lord-chamberlain - ‘cowardly beasts!’

The captain walked to the corpse of Vinish Kumar, and cut out his heart - which he stabbed with the end of his sword and then he knelt in front of the king with the sword held aloft.

The sword was collected and brought to the king, who ate Vinish Kumar’s raw heart.

The crowd cheered. The announcer spoke again as Vinish Kumar’s corpse was dragged from the fighting pit.

‘Maankaari, the noble Captain Haaraaga Harragga of the king’s guard…’

The crowd cheered more.

‘The next bought will be between beasts. A deathmatch between the human champion from the future Pippa Van Lierop and a savage beast from the hostile plains of our planet’

The crowd cheered, and the door on the side of the fighting pit slid open. A middle aged woman wearing a smock tied with a rope was pushed out into the fighting pit. The middle aged woman was holding a spear. The middle aged woman was Pippa Van Lierop, a dentist from Cape Town.

Pippa Van Lierop looked around the arena, at the screaming and shouting Maankaari. The door on the opposite side of the fighting pit slid open, and a Dakotaraptor stepped out - its head bobbing and turning from side to side. The Dakotaraptor spotted Pippa Van Lierop, and started making clicking noises.

Pippa Van Lierop had been on her way to work. She had stopped at a bakery on the way to work and bought a croissant and a coffee. Pippa Van Lierop was walking back to her car when she saw a man wearing green olive army fatigues striding across the parking lot. The man was walking funny - like he was maybe drunk or something. The man had suddenly switched directions and walked towards Pippa Van Lierop. Pippa Van Lierop tried to open the door of her car quickly. The man was now in front of Pippa Van Lierop.

‘Hello buddy’ - said the man

‘Can I help you?’ - said Pippa Van Lierop

And then there was the bright light…

Pippa Van Lierop stood in the fighting pit holding the spear, looking at the screaming Maankaari. The Alphorns blared and filled the arena with noise. And then Pippa Van Lierop stared at the Dakotaraptor.

The Dakotaraptor was a different dinosaur. Its feathers had more dark red and gold, and its feathery mane was spikier. The Dakotaraptor began circling Pippa Van Lierop, all the time making clicking noises and bobbing its head.

‘What the fuck is going on…’ - said Pippa Van Lierop

The Dakotaraptor was looking for an opening. It was trying to get behind Pippa Van Lierop. Once it was behind her, then this death match would be over, and Pippa Van Lierop would be dead.

Sweat poured down Pippa Van Lierop’s head, and into her eyes. Pippa Van Lierop kept facing the Dakotaraptor. She held the spear in her hand. Pippa Van Lierop had a secret.

When Pippa Van Lierop was 13 she had attended a track and field summer camp, and the coaches were impressed with Pippa’s ability with the javelin. Pippa had trained hard, and managed to be selected for her high school javelin squad. Pippa entered tournaments, and championships and became the under 17 Western Cape javelin champion. Pippa went to the University of Cape Town to study dentistry, but all the time continued with her javelin practice. The University entered Pippa into the national collegiate championships, and Pippa ranked 2nd nationally. Pippa was invited to train with the South African national track and field squad, and the coaches were impressed with her abilities. Pippa Van Lierop threw her javelin well enough that she was selected for the women's national squad. Pippa Van Lierop ranked nationally as 4th, and narrowly missed selection to represent South African at the Olympic games. Pippa Van Lierop coached young girls now.

The Dakotaraptor bobbed its head. It eyes watching Pippa Van Lierop all the time. Pippa kept facing the dinosaur. She knew that if it got behind her this - whatever this was - would be all over.

Pippa Van Lierop spun the javelin and held it in the throwing position. The Dakotaraptor feigned an attack.

‘You stay nice and far away’ - said Pippa Van Lierop

The crowd cheered.

Pippa Van Lierop needed the Dakotaraptor to commit an attack. Once it was committed, then it would be hard for the animal to swerve.

The Dakotaraptor was sizing up the human. It could easily kill a human with its hooked talons and sharp biting teeth. But the Dakotaraptor was cautious. It would attack. It would prefer to attack from behind, but it would wait. It was waiting for the human to be distracted - to look away, or to stumble. In that brief moment the Dakotaraptor would pounce and slash.

Pippa Van Lierop kept her eyes on the dinosaur. Whatever this thing was, it was behaving just like the big cats out in the bush. It was waiting for its moment to attack.

And then it happened. A large drip of sweat rolled down Pippa Van Lierop’s forehead and into her left eye. Pippa Van Lierop shook her head, and in that moment the Dakotaraptor attacked. The dinosaur leaped at Pippa Van Lierop, but Pippa was ready. She released the spear and it flew across the fighting pit as the Dakotaraptor pounced. The spear pierced the dinosaur’s chest and the animal shrieked and then fell to the ground. The spear had gone straight through the Dakotaraptor’s heart. The animal lay on the ground, and made a final batch of clicking noises and then died.

The Alphorns blared and the crowd cheered.

Pippa Van Lierop stood, sweating and bewildered. The doors slid open and aliens walked into the fighting pit and began dragging the body of the Dakotaraptor away.

‘What would you like done with the human, your grace?’ - said the lord-chamberlain

The king puffed its cigar.

‘Send it back’ - said the king

The lord-chamberlain nodded at the vice-chamberlain and two scouts walked into the fighting pit carrying a box gun.

‘No…’ - said Pippa Van Lierop

The scouts shot at Pippa Van Lierop and she was shrunk into a white cube. Pippa Van Lierop floated in white nothingness, and then there was pressure and noise, and then Pippa Van Lierop was standing next to her car in the parking lot of the bakery. The bag with her croissant and her coffee were on the floor. Pippa Van Lierop was wearing a brown smock tied with a rope.

‘Good morning Pippa’ - said a voice

Pippa Van Lierop swung around. A woman was walking to her car that was parked on the other side of the parking lot.

‘Are you okay, Pippa?’ - said the woman

Pippa Van Lierop collapsed on the ground.