Disclaimer:  Don't own Midway, New Line Cinema or anything
	else associated with Mortal Kombat. Thanks :)

Rating:  Uh, PG-13. 

WARNING:  There are a couple of objectionable phrases in this
	story. 	If you aren't comfortable with two or three bad
	words, I wouldn't read this story. Also, there are some
	insinuations and innuendos. If you don't like story lines like
	that, I apologize.  But thanks for giving it a try :) 

*It will end!!! I swear to the Good Lord :)*	
		
		Mortal Kombat:  A Different Interpretation:  (9/10)
by:  Tara Depp



	Johnny Cage stalked through the rows of huts, looking for
assistance. But what he found was a desolate encampment, with
only a few assorted human fighters standing about. Johnny gazed
around the small crowds and saw Liu Kang standing with Connor
Ryan. Johnny made his way over to them, his demeanor
announcing his arrival.
	Liu looked up, as if he'd sensed Cage's presence. "Johnny,
what's wrong?" 
	"Sonya's gone. Scorpion took her." Johnny gushed, feeling
terribly ashamed.
	Connor's eyes were transfixed on Johnny's neck and face.
"Johnny, my God! It looks like you got the shit beat out of you, no
offense."
	Johnny excused the young man's impoliteness. "None
taken."
	Kang cut in. "What do you mean, Scorpion took her?"
	"Well," Cage began, massaging the sides of his nose with
his thumb and index finger. "I heard a knock on the door and went
I went to answer it, there was no one there. Like an idiot, I turned
around and Scorpion came into the hut, picked me up by my throat
and threw me across the room. While I was rendered unconscious,
he kidnapped Sonya and waltzed away."
	Liu chewed on this information. After a few seconds of
thinking, he spoke up. "I know someone who can help us." 
	"Who?" Johnny asked.
	"Princess Kitana." Liu answered. "I have been speaking to
her in private when I have the chance. She would be more than
willing to help." 
	Cage nodded once. "Why don't you go try to talk to her
while I contact Rayden... or send up a smoke signal or something."
	"Alright." Liu said and walked away. 
	Connor Ryan finally spoke again. "Can I help in any way,
John?"
	He thought about it. "I guess you could come with me to
talk to Rayden, if you like."
	"Sounds fine." Ryan said and they walked away. 


	Johnny Cage walked beside Connor Ryan as they started
down a path that led into a dense forest. There was an
uncomfortable silence between them. 
	Johnny tried conversation. "So, you like my movies?" 
	"Very much so." Ryan said. "Actually, when we get back
home, I'd like to be a stunt man ar something." 
	"Well, remind me to suggest you to one of my stunt
coordinators." Johnny said as thunder rang in the distance. 
	"Really?" Ryan sounded astonished. "Thanks a lot,
Johnny."
	"You're welcome." Johnny replied. 
	Once again, silence ensued. Johnny was preparing another
conversation attempt when the air was suddenly knocked out of
him. Startled, Cage fell forward but caught himself and pushed
himself to his feet. He spun around to see Connor Ryan
backpeddling, his eyes wide. Standing ten feet from Ryan was
Scorpion. 	
	"Connor!" Johnny shouted. "Go back to camp and wait for
Liu." 
	At first, Connor was reluctant to leave but he took another
glance at Scorpion and then ran back the way he and Cage had just
traveled. 
	Johnny took a defensive stance, his anger boiling. "Where
the Hell did you take her, you bastard?" Cage demanded, hissing
the words through clenched teeth. 
	Saying nothing, Scorpion also took a fighting stanza and
thrust the palm of his hand at Johnny. Instantly, the small spiked
creature emerged from the ninja's hand. It flew right at Johnny.
	Cage tried to side step but the creature followed him and
eventually sunk it's teeth into Johnny's upper arm. Cage winced at
the pain and seconds later slumped to the ground in a heap, his
eyes shut and breath shallow. 
	Scorpion grinned under his mask and started toward
Johnny. Shang Tsung was going to be pleased. 

*				*				*


	Sonya Blade sat by herself for an hour, thinking about the
day's transpirings. She couldn't believe this was happening. It all
didn't seem fair to her. 
	For once in her life, it had seemed that her life had been
coming together. She had extracted her vengeance against Kano
and she thought she had found something she had lost:  Love.  But
that was all gone now and she was going to become a slave now.
Not to her quest to find Kano, but to an evil sorcerer who was
determined to own her. She couldn't decide which was worse. 
	The sound of a door opening shook her out of her thoughts.
Sonya stood and walked to the bars of her cell to see Shang Tsung
stroll through the dungeon door, a monk beside him. The monk
bowed and left, closing the door behind him. 
	Shang walked up to the place opposite Sonya and stopped.
He appeared to be pleased with himself. "I apologize for these
awful accommodations, dear. But once we get matters settled,
you'll have everything you'd ever want. And more."
	Blade shook with an unknown emotion:  Fear. She tried to
brush it off. "If these accommodations keep me away from you, I'm
perfectly comfortable." 
	Tsung didn't listen to her words. He seemed preoccupied
with something else. "Have you thought about my offer, Sonya?"
	"What is there to think about?" she responded. "I said no.
Nothing will change my mind."
	"Nothing?" he crooked an eyebrow. Shang began to pace.
"Are you confident about that?" 
	Sonya squared her shoulders. "Absolutely."
	There was silence as the door to the holding chambers
opened and two guards entered, dragging a man with them. They
threw the man to the stone floor face down and then backed up,
bowed to the sorcerer and took places in front of the door. 
	The man, obviously ailing from many injuries, rolled over.
His eyes locked with Blade's.
	"Sonya..." the man rasped and then went into a coughing
fit. 
	Sonya gasped and threw herself at the bars, her hands
curling around the thick metal barriers. "Johnny! Oh God..." she
glared at Shang, hatred in her eyes. "What did you do to him?!" 
	Tsung smiled sickly. "Nothing that will harm him in the
long run... if you promise to cooperate."
	"Sonya--" Johnny rasped. "Don't---Don't you dare give in--
let me die if you--have to."
	"Quiet!" Shang said and kicked Johnny in the ribs. 
	Cage doubled up, another coughing fit emerging. This one
lasted a long time. With every pained breath he took, Sonya felt
more tears bundling up in her eyes. 
	"Stop it!" she shrieked, nearing hysteria. "I'll do whatever
you say. Just please don't hurt him anymore." 
	"Now that's what I like to hear." the evil sorcerer smiled
again and waved his hand. 
	The door to Sonya's cell flew open and she rushed out,
hurrying to Johnny's side. She cradled him to her and petted back
his sweat damped hair.
	"Help him." she said, with venom in her voice. "Help him.
You promised me."
	Shang Tsung looked down at her. "I guess I did." he rolled
his eyes. "Step away from him."
	Sonya was reluctant but slowly did as she was told. She
pressed herself against the cold wall and watched on as Shang
waved his hands over Johnny's body.
	Johnny, who had been lying in an agonizing heap, lifted off
the ground and became surrounded in a red haze. Inside the haze,
Cage was completely still and didn't move or speak. He moved
higher and higher until the red haze broke and the actor crashed to
the ground, curling up in a heap. 
	He pushed himself into a sitting position, shook his head
and then stood and looked around. "Sonya?" he spoke slowly and
then walked toward her. 
	Blade smiled and moved toward him. They were almost
touching when a guard reached out and stepped between the two,
facing Johnny. 
	Cage went on his guard and was preparing an attack when
the guard ripped off its hideous mask, throwing it to the ground. 
	Johnny smiled. 
	The guard spoke. "Just in time, eh?"
	Cage patted the guard on the shoulder. "Sounds just like
you, Liu."
	Liu Kang grinned and shook off the rest of his armor. He
turned to the guard who had been traveling with him. By this time,
the other guard had shook off most of his armor. 
	"Nice timing Connor." smiled Johnny. 
	"Uh, guys," Sonya chimed in. "can we save this sappy stuff
for later?"
	Liu looked at her. "Oh yeah." 
	Instantly, Johnny, Sonya and Connor joined Liu's side.
They were facing on angry Shang Tsung.
	"How is this possible?" the sorcerer spat. 
	"It's the human spirit, Demon." Liu told him. "Something
you forgot to add into your little plot."
	Shang Tsung glared at everyone, and then his eyes settled
on Sonya. He  quickly diverted his look back to the group. 
	"You can't do anything to me." Shang boasted. He crossed
his arms, defiant. 
	Liu stepped forward. "We'll see about that." Kang told him. 
	Shang took a defensive pose against Liu.  Kang, in turn,
took his position. Then, suddenly, from all around Shang, ghost
like figures stepped out. There were three of them: One for each of
the remaining fighters. 
	"Let it begin." Johnny muttered under his breath. 

	And so it did.


TO BE CONTINUED


Krycek:  "--I know who you are, and I know who you work for.
	You go back and tell them--"

Covarrubias "--tell them what? What happened here--"

Kryck:  "--tell them it's all going to hell."


THE X_FILES
"Pacient X"/"The Red and the Black"