Waking

[LtCmdr Kennin 0]

Kennin found himself hanging against a spongy black-grey wall with organic tentacles holding him to the wall, which resembled the hull of the alien ship. The humidity on the ship was high, and the only lighting was a low glow from the ceiling.

 

The wall in front of Kennin seemed to shake as a door took form. Shortly, a tall, pale figure emerged. She had nearly white skin, with tribal tattoos along her face, and deep red inset eyes. She seemed almost surprised that Kennin breathed.

 

"You are hardier than we expected," she said with a raspy, almost reptilian voice as the door disappeared behind her.

 

Kennin took a deep breath and coughed as a sharp pain shot through his lungs. "Gee, thanks," he choked out.

 

Dressed in what appeared to be a long leather costume, she smiled. Her fingers were tipped with some sort of devices. "What is your designation... or does your primitive species simply use scent to discern which of you is which?”

 

"Funny," Kennin said, trying to catch his breath. "You don't look Borg... though you're pale enough for it."

 

Her eyes narrowed and she drew back at that mention. "Are you their allies?"

 

"What will you give me if I tell you, red-eyes?” Oh, yes, my friend, he thought to himself, you have definitely been spending far too much time with Corizon... At least it took his mind off the burning numbness creeping into his limbs.

 

Hissing, she approached him. "By the time I am done with you," she said with a certain wildness in her eyes, "You will tell me everything I want to know."

 

"Now," she continued. "What is your designation?"

 

"Well, some people call me bookish... but my friends call me Tom..." He paused to suck in a heavy breath. "... and I know one fur-faced guy who calls me pain in the butt."

 

She was unamused. "Tom. What a simple name, how pathetic."

 

He laughed a little, listening to the bubbling sound of it with no small amount of trepidation. "Why, what's yours, bright eyes?"

 

"Your primitive vocal chords can not pronounce it, so why bother?" She approached him, examining him visually. "We have encountered your race twice now. And only twice. You are not from this Quadrant, are you?"

 

"Ah, now..." Kennin let his head fall back against the wall, conserving his strength. "Now, why would you think a thing like that? 'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio...'"

 

"Fool. Our Empire has stood for 700,000 Years. When your race was no doubt sniffing about in the brush, the Scorpiad Empire was dominating the Quadrant. If you were from this Quadrant... we would know..."

 

"Haven't been around much lately, have you?” He smiled, his eyes falling shut. "That's the way it goes, you know... Turn your backs for a moment and the neighborhood just goes all to hell..."

 

She placed her fingers upon his chest, and Kennin suddenly felt a great pain, as if his life force were being drawn from him.

 

Gasping, Kennin forced the words from a throat that felt scored with razors. "Well... you sure know how... to show a guy a good time..."

 

"Now...where are your people from, and why are you allied with the Changelings?"

 

"Sec-- second star to the right..." He had to stop to cough again. " -- straight on 'til morning."

 

Rage lit her red eyes and her hand went back to his chest. "You will find I am not amused easily." Keeping her hand pressed against his chest, she leaned into his ear. "Where are you from? And why are you allied with the Changelings?"

 

Kennin bit down on a scream, copper tang flooding over his tongue as he drew blood. He shook his head, eyes clenched tightly shut but tears leaking to spill down his cheeks all the same.

 

Releasing him once more, she huffed angrily before calming herself and withdrawing a few more feet. She didn't want to kill him yet; of course, the wound in his stomach was likely fatal anyway.

 

He hung in the chains and focused on breathing. One breath in, one out. As long as they were in equal ratio, all was well. Like a warp core reaction -- always one to one.

 

"I'll leave you to consider my question," she finally said. "If you tell us what we want to know... we will make your death quick... and painless. But if you do not... you will suffer until the last."

 

She disappeared through the wall once more.

Edited March 24, 2006 by LtCmdr Kennin