The Sacrifice (part 2)

Posted on Sat Jan 25th, 2020 @ 6:41am by Lieutenant JG Ronnie Wolfe & Commander Hans Munich & Lieutenant Lei Shan

1,409 words; about a 7 minute read

[CONTINUED]

[OLD]

Ronnie had remained silent. She'd honestly hoped Shan would get the upper hand, but with the space they were in, there really was no room for her, without any weapon, to help out without knocking the other woman down, and that would do no good. She still expected to find some way out before long. She just had to be patient and keep alert to what was going on. They were attentive now, but they would not always be vigilant.

[NEW]

Shan glared back at the behemoth, but then turned to the two local women. She scowled at the sighed of the big tub and crossed her arms tightly. "I will... not cooperate," she stated yet again.

"Please realize that if we cannot cleanse you, he will not only take it out on you." The woman told her quietly. "WE will pay a price and he will try to bathe you, it would be easier if you allow us and save your resistance for when you will truly need it?"

Shan shook her head. "Sorry, lady. No can do. You- or he- might be able to force me to do what you want, but I won't make it easy for you."

"You can bathe yourself if it would get job done." The woman tried.

Shan didn't even bother answering anymore, just stood with her arms crossed and glared stubbornly.

The large man snapped his fingers and two rather well toned women approach; their stance was one of a combat trained type and they took sides on each side of Shan.

"The hard way then." The man shrugged and turned to leave room.

Looking out the corners of her eyes, Shan eyed the women who flanked her. Fine. Just like Behemoth, they could physically force her to do something, but she wouldn't make it easy for them. She tensed her arms and legs and rooted herself into place as they grabbed each arm and started to drag her away, literally forcing them to drag her as she refused to move a muscle.

The two women did drag her, hauling her like a sack of flour towards the tub, then started to work on undressing her.

Shan made them work for every inch, every scrap of clothing. She didn't strike out at them, that wouldn't stop them she figured- and there wasn't anywhere for her to run even if she did escape their hold- but it took both of the women holding her and one of the bathing attendants working together to just get her undressed, then they had to lift and drop her into the tub.

One of the enforcers locked her into an arm bar to hold her down and still in the water while the other stood back to take over in case Shan managed to slip away and try to get out during the bathing process.

"This could have gone easier." The woman helping to cleanse her stated. "Once dressed they will leave you alone." She told Shan. "No harm is meant to you from us, you could have enjoyed a good hot bath instead of this."

"I have been abducted off the street- drugged- kept in a cell- and now I'm being 'cleansed' whatever you mean by that," Shan practically spat the words. "Why the hell should I make anything easy for you?"

"The ease for me is not the point, you could have saved yourself some pleasantries if you followed suggestions." The woman was getting near the end of the cleansing ritual. "Once here you could have avoided much had you just been more open to being treated less harshly."

"Lady- You've got me at your mercy, I'll give you that much." Shan made a symbolic, if futile, effort to break the hold on her arm. And almost dislocated her own shoulder in the process. She grinned a fiercely at the pain. "But I will not go quietly into the night, and you will WORK for everything you get out of me."

Ronnie was taken into a separate room for the cleansing. She kept her eyes open, watching and listening to everything. There would have to come a moment when they were distracted, when she could find a way out, when she could escape. She wasn't like Shan. She didn't believe in fighting every inch of the way, but she did believe in taking advantage of opportunities. And there would definitely be one before long. Damion had taught her that much.

Shan was hauled back out of the tub and dried, her hair brushed and she was redressed- not in her own clothes- and she kept true to her word, making them fight her every moment. She had no idea what they wanted to ultimately do to her, but she was pretty sure it didn't include setting her free far enough away to be beamed to the safety of her own ship. She would not be complicit in her detention. Never again would she sit by helplessly while someone held her against her will. She would fight- and damn the consequences. She rather be hurt or killed fighting than be docile in captivity.

Ronnie was cleaned and dressed in a modest skirt and blouse. She wasn't sure what was wrong with her other clothes, they were clean enough. She asked, but got no response. There were far too many people around for her to fight, but she watched how each person behaved, who lead and who followed. If they were being taken somewhere else, perhaps she would have a chance to get away then. Right now, she was no match for the four or five people always around her.

Shan's scowl even included the plain, modest dress they forced her into. She didn't exactly do 'plain and modest' by choice. That was the least of her worries of course, but she wished they at least gave her shoes. With shoes she could kick and do some damage. Maybe that was why they left her barefooted.

The large male guards from before came back into the room, summoned by the attendants once the cleansing was complete.

Ronnie was brought back to join Shan. So far they'd been careful to keep several guards around both prisoners, but the science officer was still hopeful there would be an opportunity. If nothing else, to let the Calypso know where they were.

As the guards grabbed her again, Shan started fighting again. She dug in her heels, tried to break their grip, struck out, anything and everything. As she and Lancaster were forced along, she knew it was only getting worse. She refused to scream, but she cursed and as she was hauled physically along, she even stooped to scratching, digging her nails deep and rending long red furrows into the guard's flesh. And in her mind, she flailed against the separation, the inability to feel her Mate. He was there- she knew he was- but she couldn't contact him, couldn't touch him-

Ronnie pulled back, hoping someone in the crowd would help her, but she saw no one. And then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jayna. "Help!"

She was smacked in the back of the head and shoved forward. At least Jayna knew where they were and could get help.

The ceremony had been already performed as two large men; each taking the women by the shoulders and pushed them with some force over the edge of a four meter circle that shot pyrotechnics after the women passed out of sight...

As Shan's feet peddled on air, she tried to turn, tried to reach out for the ledge, but she was too far away. She started to fall. She clamped her jaw shut to stifle her scream, but her mind shrieked- and as she dropped into darkness, for a moment she touched her Mate. Her mind met his for a split second, as if she'd brushed her fingers against his but failed to catch hold of his hand.

The science officer fell forward, hitting something metal and biting her tongue. She began to slide, face-first, down a shoot. It went farther and farther into the darkness. She cried out for Damion, but knew he was too far away. She hoped the end would not be abrupt.

____
OFF

Lieutenant JG Lei Shan
Assistant Chief Operations Officer

Lieutenant JG Ronnie Lancaster
Assistant Chief Science Officer

NPCs played by
Hans Munich
Executive Officer

Tags to all!

RSS Feed