Angelina Ballentyne sat slumped in the interrogation chair. Her naked form was covered in hideous bruises and welts, burns and streaks of blood. Matted by sweat and blood her hair was plastered over her head, her eyes were swollen, barely open, lips puffed and broken. Slowly she sat up back straight and spat blood on the floor.
The Inquisitor stood over her and looked down. Amazing that she had withstood two days of this treatment and still was defiant. He called over the medical orderly and told her to clean the prisoner then walked over to the table behind him and sat on it. The orderly cleaned her wounds and bruises as best she could. Angelina restrained her urge to bite her within the restrictions of her bonds. She hadn't done her any harm.
"Clean her good, she goes to the dermal regenerator tomorrow so she is pristine for her court appearance. Stupid guristas whore."
Something inside Angelina snapped.
The Inquisitor looked around as he heard the scream and the scuffling and saw Angelina with her teeth fastened into the orderlies face, the fresh blood spurting. He took his taser and jammed it into Angelina's neck and pressed the button. Then when it had recharged he pressed it again.
"Such a waste."
He pressed a button on the wall.
"Send in another orderly."
A day later she was returned to the chair, her bruises and scars healed, though her body was still in agony. She watched as the Inquisitor stood waiting by the door until a robed figure walked in. He spoke briefly and moved behind Angelina. Grabbing her hair he forced her head forward, revealing the spot at the base of her neck where her implants were. An orderly came forward with a tray containing anaesthetic and an implant remover.
"That," the robed figure said with a sadistic laugh, "Won't be necessary."
Pulling a pair of pliars from his robe he advanced on the prisoner.
"But Sire, to remove the implants like that may cause cranial trauma. There maybe lasting damage to her neural net."
"She is a Guristas Pirate, a terrorist and a threat to our Empire....."
He placed the pliars around the implant bed.
"She has no rights. And I want to hear her scream."
Angelina fought as much as she could, but against the two men she was helpless as they pinned her then ripped an implant out of her head. Her screams were gutteral and the epitome of pain. Then the next one was ripped out, to the sound of laughter. And the next one. Blood flowed freely down her neck and her body twitched and shuddered. The Inquisitor left the room and the robed man reached into his pocket and pulled out six implant capsules. Popping the top he pulled out the Talisman implants, smeared them with her blood and dropped them on the tray.
In her cell later that night she sat on the edge of the bed and waited. Redemption would come eventually. In some form. The door to her cell opened and a man walked in, a new man she mused, for she'd not heard his footfalls here before.
"So Angelina, we meet again."
His voice, so familiar. Like a scar that wont heal. She didn't even look up.
"Hello Victor. And how is my bastard brother today?"
"I bring a message from Gallicia. There is a way out of this for you. We can spare you the clone death you are getting. Save you and keep you from harm."
"You are very generous."
"All he requires is your obedience. Join us and you will be free. With certin provisions."
She spat on the floor.
"I don't work for Serpentis....."
"No, according to the evidence you work for the Blood Raiders and the Guristas. Either of which is enough to get you executed."
"I'll take my chances with the court."
"You will die. And for what? We'll get Carmilla in the end, she'll dance for Gallicia again....."
Even with the torture of the past few days she was still alert and dangerous and had grabbed Victor by the throat, lifted him up and pinned him against the wall.
"And so I will die.... Tell Gallicia that I spit on his offer."
The court proceedings were quick, the outcome was known before the court conveened. Guilty of Murder. Guilty of Terrorism. Guilty of belonging to two illegal corporations. Sentence to be handed down in two days. Case dismissed.
Redemption, it seemed, was still illusive. Looking over the court she saw Gallicia, sitting at the back, and the daughters of one of the men she had slaughtered. She stared at them as she was dragged back to her cell.
The Inquisitor stood over her and looked down. Amazing that she had withstood two days of this treatment and still was defiant. He called over the medical orderly and told her to clean the prisoner then walked over to the table behind him and sat on it. The orderly cleaned her wounds and bruises as best she could. Angelina restrained her urge to bite her within the restrictions of her bonds. She hadn't done her any harm.
"Clean her good, she goes to the dermal regenerator tomorrow so she is pristine for her court appearance. Stupid guristas whore."
Something inside Angelina snapped.
The Inquisitor looked around as he heard the scream and the scuffling and saw Angelina with her teeth fastened into the orderlies face, the fresh blood spurting. He took his taser and jammed it into Angelina's neck and pressed the button. Then when it had recharged he pressed it again.
"Such a waste."
He pressed a button on the wall.
"Send in another orderly."
A day later she was returned to the chair, her bruises and scars healed, though her body was still in agony. She watched as the Inquisitor stood waiting by the door until a robed figure walked in. He spoke briefly and moved behind Angelina. Grabbing her hair he forced her head forward, revealing the spot at the base of her neck where her implants were. An orderly came forward with a tray containing anaesthetic and an implant remover.
"That," the robed figure said with a sadistic laugh, "Won't be necessary."
Pulling a pair of pliars from his robe he advanced on the prisoner.
"But Sire, to remove the implants like that may cause cranial trauma. There maybe lasting damage to her neural net."
"She is a Guristas Pirate, a terrorist and a threat to our Empire....."
He placed the pliars around the implant bed.
"She has no rights. And I want to hear her scream."
Angelina fought as much as she could, but against the two men she was helpless as they pinned her then ripped an implant out of her head. Her screams were gutteral and the epitome of pain. Then the next one was ripped out, to the sound of laughter. And the next one. Blood flowed freely down her neck and her body twitched and shuddered. The Inquisitor left the room and the robed man reached into his pocket and pulled out six implant capsules. Popping the top he pulled out the Talisman implants, smeared them with her blood and dropped them on the tray.
In her cell later that night she sat on the edge of the bed and waited. Redemption would come eventually. In some form. The door to her cell opened and a man walked in, a new man she mused, for she'd not heard his footfalls here before.
"So Angelina, we meet again."
His voice, so familiar. Like a scar that wont heal. She didn't even look up.
"Hello Victor. And how is my bastard brother today?"
"I bring a message from Gallicia. There is a way out of this for you. We can spare you the clone death you are getting. Save you and keep you from harm."
"You are very generous."
"All he requires is your obedience. Join us and you will be free. With certin provisions."
She spat on the floor.
"I don't work for Serpentis....."
"No, according to the evidence you work for the Blood Raiders and the Guristas. Either of which is enough to get you executed."
"I'll take my chances with the court."
"You will die. And for what? We'll get Carmilla in the end, she'll dance for Gallicia again....."
Even with the torture of the past few days she was still alert and dangerous and had grabbed Victor by the throat, lifted him up and pinned him against the wall.
"And so I will die.... Tell Gallicia that I spit on his offer."
The court proceedings were quick, the outcome was known before the court conveened. Guilty of Murder. Guilty of Terrorism. Guilty of belonging to two illegal corporations. Sentence to be handed down in two days. Case dismissed.
Redemption, it seemed, was still illusive. Looking over the court she saw Gallicia, sitting at the back, and the daughters of one of the men she had slaughtered. She stared at them as she was dragged back to her cell.
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