Arriving in Darkness [The Primeval]

[Zickery]

For a moment, the Umbaran's face would be blank, then it would twist and contort into a howl of agony, yet it would be brief before that same howl shifted back into a smile. Salacious Vile felt the sensation of drowning, and it was a bittersweet reminder of the wondrous suffering that had sculpted him into the man he was today. The memories flickered across the surface of his mind, like a fish swimming upstream. He remembered his vocal cords being slit and stitched back together, over and over. Being forced to decide how men died, being forced to care for those he tortured, and to torture them again. The pains of what he had lost, and the pains of what he had gained. Even memories of his time in the very machine in front of him surfaced, just like a man desperately groping for air, his arms and face reaching outwards from the entangling muddy waters of hate. Just like the Zeltron in front of him, however, that very same brief spark of sympathy was drowned as the next torrent of water came flooding towards her. He staggered away, and he exhaled sharply. His eyes snapped shut, and he licked his lips, seeking shelter in the twisted agony of lines and ties that comprised his view of the Force. Each bit deeper into his flesh, sharper, stronger than the pain of the memories unearthed, and in that agony he lost himself, forgetting once more.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

Jorda would have smiled broadly at the sight of Vile's rictus of pain, had she not been in the midst of being brought to the brink of drowning over and over. As the water continued to gush into Jorda's trachea and then out, choking and gagging her, the Zeltron couldn't do much else but sputter and struggle for breath. Her fingers clenched and unclenched at her sides as she felt agonizing pain in her larynx and horrifyingly blind panic each time the torrent filled up her mask. As a result, her telekinetic powers soon began to falter.

As the torture repeated itself over and over, Jorda's eyesight began to blur, as did the sight of Vile. There was a brief moment where she thought she was going to choke on her own vomit, and she welcomed what would be a merciful end. Jorda had never believed in the Maker like some. If there were some kind of grand divinity casting a steely gaze over the galaxy, she was sure it would eschew her for being an arbiter and accomplice to all manner of criminal activities. As she was tortured, however, her thoughts suddenly flickered to the words spoken by the Umbaran woman in the throne room. She couldn't remember the exact phrasing, but it was something about choosing different paths to the Gods. The path of service or the path of pain. Or something.

In a futile attempt to have her suffering relieved, the Zeltron woman meditated on the idea of these faceless elder Gods. What if they weren't just the esoteric manifestations of insane zealots? With no expectations that anything would happen, she attempted to call to them in her mind, searching for answers. What did they want with her? What was this service she could give? She kept up this line of thinking for a while, but as stream after stream of water flowed through her mask, her mind became mealy and her thoughts incoherent. Eventually the Zeltron wasn't able to focus on anything else but the beating of her own heart.

[member="Salacious Vile"] [member="Catalys Maijora"] [member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

The base of the halls and their sudden turns were no unusual journey for those familiar with the starship but for strangers it would seem like a maze. The seemingly spontaneous structure of Order's End made it a particularly intimidating vessel; inside and out. Catalys continued down his path with the guard who brought him along, heading towards the transformed medical bay that became Vile's personal playpen. The duo finally reached a wider area that acted as a crossroads connecting several individual corridors that snaked their way throughout the starship. Dead in-front was a particularity defensible airlock that purposely made wide to accommodate the wounded being transported to and from. A smaller bay existed elsewhere on the ship -- now the more prominent facility -- and Anja Aj'Rou had her own personal one near her private quarters. So for the logistics it wasn't that much of a burden and regardless, few received such attention.

Approaching the door, the guard punched into the keypad which opened the large hexagonal metalwork; it opened with a slight hiss. The immediate sounds of the autoboarder were clearly heard in the otherwise 'tranquil' setting. There was a certain sense of disgust on Catalys' face, few on the ship appreciated Vile. Not necessarily for his methods but the fact he was quite insane and formerly declared an unfaithful disgrace. If there's anything left of his heresy it resided strictly in his devious nickname in which the namesake reflected on such events. Even still few would speak out openly lest to incur his wrath and less would dare be anywhere in his path save for those who had to. Catalys wasn't typically fearful of Vile but that didn't mean he wasn't cautious of his sudden and frequent violent outbursts.

"What is it, Vile?", the agent spoke over the noise as he walked inside the room. The guard who fetched him quietly slid into the corner attending his torn ear. The Umbaran agent had a much more appealing appearance than Vile, only a few scattered scars marked his exposed flesh -- particularly the head and upper neck -- whilst the rest being hidden away by his tactical armour. The favoured rifle of his was still slung over his back in a manner that allowed him to quickly engage in combat if the need arose.

[member="Salacious Vile"] [member="Jorda Ulluto"] [member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Zickery]

"Yes... yes... I wanted you... to watch... to participate..."

Salacious Vile spread his arms flamboyantly, gesticulating towards the captive laid across the table, and his left eye twitches as he steps forwards, going to stand besides Catalys. He draped his left arm over the man's shoulder, and he leaned heavily, and uncomfortably close. He glanced back towards the prisoners. "There... are oh so many..." His sentence was cut short as his mouth kept moving, but he spoke not a sound. He coughed sharply, and he inhaled in a raspy breath before continuing. "Things... yes, things... that we can do..." Yanking back his arm, he would slink forwards, inspecting the numerous tools and weaponry arraigned about the room, before glancing back once more. "I also needed.. a substitute for my.. ahh... wounded assistants..." Slowly, he reached for one of the long, slender razors slotted on the side of the wall, and with careful, almost reverent movements, he would procure it. Holding it aloft to the light, Vile would overlook the intricate designs and grooves etched into the blade. In a way, it was an artistic masterpiece, despite its age and evident overuse. "It is so thin... so slender... yes.. it will do good work for you..." After uttering this, he turned, and he would go to offer it to Catalys, smiling widely.

"You.. must watch, and... keep watch, yes, but... you may participate if you wish."
[member="Catalys Maijora"] [member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Keira Priest]

As Keira sat in the complete and utter silence and darkness of the isolation chamber, she began to drift in and out of sleep, though they weren't dreams so much as nightmares she was spasming in and out of, each one marginally worse than the last. The cracks were beginning to show plainly in her resolve, but the last thing she would do would be to allow someone like Vile to break her this easily. She was a Red Raven and a Ticon besides, and there wasn't any way she would go down without a good fight, whether it was more one-sided in nature or not. Ever since she was young she'd been taught to fight, and to use any and every resource at her disposal to do so. If that meant having to beg to get her way out of this chamber, then so be it. Anything to get her face-to-face again with the one who'd put her here in the first place. One way or another, she would end it all.

Slowly, inch by inch, she crawled across the unforgiving durasteel floor, the chains clinking against each other with each movement, the sound almost welcome to her ears after the total quiet she'd been subjected to. Almost. Finally having felt her way across the room to the door she banged on it with the cuffs around her wrists rather than her hands, the sound of metal on metal producing more noise than she herself ever could alone. "C'mon! Is a few minutes in the dark the best you can do? I'm actually starting to miss your ugly face!" Her voice was already hoarse, but she made do, eventually sitting back against the wall just to the side of the door to wait and see if her noise had any effect. She would be surprised if it did, as Vile hardly seemed the type to relent after just a few minutes at best.

But if this was to be her ultimate fate, she wouldn't concede to it in silence. Keira was many things, but a quitter wasn't one of them. And they would learn that the hard way, whether they wanted to or not. Submission was the last thing she had in mind.

[member="Salacious Vile"], [member="Catalys Maijora"], [member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

In the depths of her suffering Jorda was vaguely aware of the presence of another in the med bay. Although her eyes were wet and blurred from an unstoppable stream of tears, she saw another man with Vile, their original captor, by the look of his armor. She finally got a look at the bastard's pallid face, and filed it away as one she'd like to put deep scratches into if she ever got free. She then heard Vile speaking in that sickly croak that made the Zeltron's skin crawl.

Like a wounded snake he slithered over to a rack of weapons and chose a long etched blade, that seemed to be aged but razor sharp. Another wave of fluid washed into her mask, and the room temporarily spun, enveloping her consciousness in blackness. When it stopped she could see him offering the weapon to Catalys. Jorda had stopped struggling as she was being subjected to the water torture, but at the sight of the blade being handed to the other man, her adrenaline kicked in, and she started to wriggle violently against her bindings.

One thing was for sure, she wouldn't hesitate to use anything at her disposal to remove another ear, or hopefully a more sensitive body part, of any one of these creatures provided a wrong move was made somewhere along the line. The torrent of water had washed away the previous guard's blood, but she was almost looking forward to the taste of more.

[member="Salacious Vile"] [member="Catalys Maijora"] [member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

The nature of Vile's gestures were most unsettling, he slinked about with sly motions of his prehensile frame. Even for Catalys these things were disturbing and not just how he acted but the way he spoke; everyone about Vile lived up to his name. When the crooked Umbaran handed him the intricate blade, Catalys grabbed hold and kept it near his side; at the very least he'd humor the man. He was never into unnecessary conflict, let alone torture. One might even consider him to be a conservative really, preferring to do only what must be done and not anything else. Catalys' natural caution was never hidden, especially in his encounters with the ones he's captured. Everything had to be planned -- even if it was done quickly-- to assure a successful outcome. The sudden and violent struggle's of their Zeltron captive made Catalys uneasy and even visually angry along his face. The broken last words that came from Vile must've upset her and this was beginning to test Catalys' patience. He didn't want to be here. Not that it churned his stomach but it there's few people who readily enjoy watching such events transpire. Even for a soldier who's seen worlds burn and countless people die; this was something else entirely.

"Keep her restrained.", his feet took him a few steps around to be slightly outside of her vantage point to where she'd have to nearly bend her eyes back to notice the blurry figure. His presence would probably remain clear as to where he was but Catalys wanted no part in this struggle. He simply sat there and watched without interest nor sympathy. There was no salvation to by had on Catalys' part; he allowed the process to commence and it wasn't like he had much of a choice. Indulging the sadistic affairs of Vile was something many were forced into. The small blade was still kept in hand, just at the side.

[member="Salacious Vile"] [member="Keira Ticon"] [member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

As the new arrival with the long etched blade moved closer to Jorda, she could sense the reluctance in his pheromones. Yes, there was apathy there, too, but he wasn't as gleeful about the level of sadism taking place as his counterpart Vile.

It took all of her concentration but now that he was standing directly behind her, she used her telepathic powers to seep into his mind, projecting the most touching emotions she was able to muster in her current state. Empathy Sympathy. Pity. Helplessness. Jorda was unsure of how receptive he would be to this intrusion. She hoped he'd be easier to sway than Vile who she suspected was a lost cause.

She continued to struggle against her restraints, but her muscles were starting to cramp. She was a petite woman and although athletic, didn't' possess the amount of strength it would take to snap the bonds. The water torture was also pushing her to the brink of physical exhaustion and after a few minutes, she stopped struggling and simply watched.

[member="Catalys Maijora"] [member="Keira Ticon"] [member="Salacious Vile"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

The rush of emotion came to a climatic pinnacle in an adulteration of pain, sorrow, and bewilderment. An abrupt exhale callously escaped his breath; his mind was going blank as he began to feel sympathetic towards her and thought of treasonous acts. Betrayal was never on his mind and for the first time in his remembered life he thought about helping a heretic escape. This wasn't the redemption he recalled and neither was it just. Only a few moments have passed since she imposed a startling bond upon him. Quickly Catalys was able to reclaim his wits and in an attempt to regain control he took the knife and slashed it against his gloved hand, the industrial fabric ripped open and instantaneously came the gush of red blood soaking into it.

A brief grunt was audibly heard as his hand clenched around the wound. The intoxicating flow of emotions ceased, whatever amount of light entered him was quickly swallowed again by the torrent of darkness that had held him for the vast majority of his life. Catalys glanced at [member="Jorda Ulluto"] with rage and nuisance the two emotions shrugged out the stinging sharp pain of his wound. "I have no interest in these games,", his thoughts began to fall into place as his silvery eyes glared with emptiness towards the captive. "I'm leaving."

The metallic footsteps marched away as Catalys turned towards the entrance, the guard from earlier was still licking his wounds; shunning himself in the corner of the room. Glancing back the agent took on more look at Jorda with an enigmatic expression before finally making his way out, pulling a strap to adjust the posture of his rife and standing tall as the airlock closed behind him.

[member="Keira Ticon"] [member="Salacious Vile"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

Even though Jorda felt like she was reaching the end of her wits, the fact that Catalys was unable to resist her trick brought a final smile to the Zeltron's lips. She felt the other man's emotions herself and he definitely didn't seem like he was as far gone as the likes of Vile. In the second that he'd turned to face her before he walked out, she felt almost a sadness at seeing him go. If only because he'd be leaving her alone with Vile and that was not a position she wanted to be in again.

After a few minutes passed after Catalys departed, the Zeltron captive wasn't able to think coherently or concentrate on anything. The water torture was breaking her mind as much as it was tormenting her lungs and throat. And in a more few minutes, a despairing blackness enveloped her as she fell into a shock-like trance.

[member="Catalys Maijora"] [member="Keira Ticon"][member="Salacious Vile"]

 

[Zickery]

Time passed, and time passed. Salacious Vile eagerly leaned over his victim, his breathing heavy and harsh as he listened to the constant, rhythmic flow of water. Her lungs were filled with water, and than they were filled with air. It was a cycle, and in cycles such as these, Vile found meaning in his otherwise wretched existence. He leaned back, gazing over the pristine white walls, and the harsh, aged implements with which he worked. Long ago he had learned that you could judge the skill of a man at his craft by the age of his tools and how they cared for them. Yet for Vile, the appearance of the room was just another part of the grand works he performed in these chambers. If a man cared for his tools more than he seemed to care for his own kindred, than what sort of man was he? It was just another piece of the tapestry he wove daily at his master's behest. He glanced towards the numerous dials and monitors in the corner of the room, and with an almost reluctant sigh, he stretched his arm over Jorda's restrained form, flicking a single switch on the wall beside her. The flow of water would grind to a halt, and then there would be a long, thick rasp, not unlike Vile's own breathing, as the water was sucked away, the tubes going limp and inert. Vile would, with a grace that mocked that of a priest, pull back the restraints binding the mask to her skull, and lift it. He would speak softly and quietly, but forcefully, his voice devoid of emotion and inhibition.

"By whose grace do you emerge?"

[member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

Jolted out of her stupor by the movement and foreign sounds around her, Jorda heard a long sickening rasp and briefly thought that it was her own death knell. Then the Zeltron's restraints were released and her head violently slumped forward, long, wet black hair framing her face like a dark curtain. After a few minutes, she blinked her hazel eyes a few times and slowly lifted her chin. A rivulet of drool dripped from the side of her full lips. With a glazed expression, her jaw slack, Jorda let her eyes slowly wander the room, moving from the torture instruments hanging on the wall to the doors containing blackened rooms with more of the same, then settling on Vile himself. She furrowed her brow in confusion, her body pushed past the point of exhaustion and her mind splintered. Was this corrupted creature her Master? Or was it another?

It took a few minutes to process the question he asked, but once she did, she knew the answer, cemented in her mind like a gravestone. Swallowing dryly, her throat in agony, she answered Vile in a low whisper that was not much more than a croak.

"By the grace of the Elder Gods."

[member="Salacious Vile"]

 

[Zickery]

His resounding laughter filled the room, his breathing harsh as the recycled air scraped across his dry lungs like sandpaper. With a glimmer of malice in his pale blue eyes, he turned back, slowly pacing towards one of the many pristine, chrome control panels. At a casual flip of a switch, he inhaled, his words slowly and crudely pronounced as he spoke into the panel. "Send down a reeducation team. Another's ready." He would step back, and spread his arms, his smile widening as he turns to face her. "You... yes... you will be taken... for enlightenment." The Umbaran lowered his arms, and he began to pace back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back, silently waiting for them to arrive.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"]