No Idle Threat

Posted on Mon Aug 15th, 2022 @ 3:26am by Lieutenant Commander Lyra Cassiel & Captain Ivan Petrov & Lieutenant Johnathan Anderson III & Lieutenant JG Melissa Jones

Mission: S1 Episode 3: Phage
Location: Shuttlebay
Timeline: Mission Day 7 at 1250
2021 words - 4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

This was going to be fun... but it couldn't be too much fun. Madeline had to remind herself as she dragged the struggling Vidiian by the shackles and into the shuttlebay. He was pathetic and no match to fight against her. Even if he had made himself dead weight she could have simply dragged him along the ground. Hopefully he wasn't a testament to his entire species. Weak slaves were so useless. As they walked into the bay, she looked to Jonathan and gave him another easy half smile despite the literal sobbing that Remm was now doing.

"So, we're here. Where do you think best to set him up?" She differed mostly out of curiosity to see what the boyish faced officer would do. He didn't look the part, but Madeline knew all too well that looks could be deceiving. "And do you have that nice little tarp hanging around somewhere in here?" It was a shame really, a little bloodstains on the deck never hurt anyone.

Before Johnathan could respond, Remm let out a shriek that resembled that of a little girl more than a grown man. Tears streamed down his cheeks and it was clear he was quite afraid for himself.

"Please, no! I'll tell you anything you want to know, just let me go." he said, looking at the man for help since he'd discovered that the woman wasn't listening. "Your Captain was right. I have no authority, I'm only the messenger. I was just following orders!"

Without a word, Johnathan turned toward the alien, he didn't think of him as a man, and drove a solid fist up into Remm's solar plexus, or at least, where the solar plexus would be if he had been lucky enough to be born Terran.

Remm coughed immediately, his face wracked with pain. He wasn’t good with pain. The coughing continued completely out of control. He leaned forward and covered his mouth, polite to the very end.

"Alien scum," Johnathan spat at him and he signaled for the Andorian and Bolian Flight Ops slaves, the only two currently present, to come forward. "Bring us a tarp, two meters by two meters square, plus a selection of tools best used to inflict the most pain on an individual while he is taken apart." He raised a warning finger. "Be warned, if I or Lieutenant Cassiel are not eased by your offered selection, you will be punished, not only by me, but her as well."

Both slaves bowed their heads respectfully, then hurried to fulfill his orders.

Melissa watched and then drew a tricorder. It seemed scans of Renn would suffice. She began to dutifully collect data on the Vidiian as he was in the process of an Excruciating death. "By the way, Mister Renn. Would you be so kind as to breath at a constant rate as your execution is in progress? Thank you for your cooperation. You are contributing greatly to Terran Science."

Madeline looked over to Melissa as she came up and started scanning the man. She gave a smile while she continued to hold Remm while he was slumped and coughing. "Don't worry, lieutenant, I'm sure there will be plenty more of these where this one came from." She the back of Remm's head like he was some sort of animal. "Do you hear that, little man? It won't just be you. You won't be alone in death."

Remm frowned. He knew what would happen next but he wasn’t happy in the slightest.

“You have no idea what you’re dealing with. Let me go and I’ll tell you what comes next.” He said, desperate.

A few moments later, the slaves returned, pushing a cart, laden with an assortment of devices, both surgical and some that were not designed for use on biological specimens.

Madeline looked to the cart and devices laid out there. Most were not as imaginative as she had hoped, but really that was probably for the best. Showing no disappointment on her face, she looked to the slaves and gave a nod before turning her head to Jonathan. "Well, Lieutenant, since you were most eager, why don't you begin for us. I'll hold our guest here for you."

“You have no idea what you’re dealing with. Let me go and I’ll tell you what comes next.” He said, desperate. “If you do what you’re planning to do to me, there will be consequences. The Sodality doesn’t fold easily.”

“Usually I like to leave the tongue until a little later, but you are testing my patience.” Madeline threatened, pulling Remm closer to her and staring down into his eyes. “What do you mean ‘what comes next’?”

As Madeline spoke to the alien, Johnathan had his slaves lay out the tarp while he inspected the tools they had chosen. He was pleased with the selection and allowed them to go and rest for an hour as their reward.

After they left, he picked up a pair of pliers. When Remm didn't answer right away, he stepped over, forced the creature's head up and started to rip out his teeth, one by one.

“Woah, woah there,” Madeline chuckled and reached out to put her hand on Jonathan’s wrist after the third tooth came out. “Don’t forget to move around. Stay in one spot too long and they just get used to it.” She reminded him. “Take a pause, pull out a couple of nails.”

Johnathan paused in his tooth extraction and looked over at Madeline. After thinking about it for a beat, he offered her the iers. "Please," he said with an honest grin. "Show me the best way how?"

Madeline was surprised he handed them over, but took them with a smile. She made sure it wasn't too wide or too gleeful. "My pleasure. Now, watch closely."

Melissa had several sample containers ready to catch the teeth and nails as the were discarded from what appeared to be Johnathan and Madeline's cruel efforts. The Captain was specific but some parts from Remm could be recovered. Talk about beating around the bush. If they were going to kill someone, just kill them. Anyway, some testable material would be extracted from Remm before he was returned. She began using tweezers to catch the samples as Madeline ripped them out. She intended to anyalize and study him, but she did feel like a Scientific Vulture with the Lions munching on a carpace.

"Intriguing. I'm picking up adrenaline spikes. It's exceptionally revealing.. Please continue, Lieutenants. Though I do hope I will acquire some Vidians for my efforts to cure this Phage with the Doctor." Melissa noted.

“NOOOO! Please! Oh, please! Don’t do this!” Remm shouted, his voice starting to grow hoarse. “Have mercy! I was just doing my job!”

"And yet you still knew what the job was." Melissa noted. "I imagine you had a chance to walk away.. Cowards usually do. Now man up and face your end with some shred of dignity."

Madeline gave a sigh and spun the pliers in her hand as she looked to Jonathan. "Do we think its about time to cut out his tongue? Have you ever done it before?" She asked the younger man curiously. To Madeline, this was just business and necessity, but he seemed eager to learn.

Johnathan shook his head. "No, but I've seen it done on holos. I'll gladly take any pointers you might be willing to share."

"Two tactics - you can either cut or pull." Madeline explained clinically. "You need something to hold the mouth open - I always suggest a double hook that you can attach to their body if you don't have a second set of hands and you also need something to cauterize with unless you want them drowning in their own blood either accidentally or on purpose." She looked to Jonathan to make sure he was keeping up or if he had any questions.

Johnathan nodded, taking in everything Madeline was teaching him. He, of course, knew how to kill. However, he was seeing that there could be a finesse to it. "Let's say you don't have an extra set of hands, how do you get the hook into their mouth without them biting you?"

"You can use a neural stimulator to stimulate a muscle spasm on the jaw muscles, and the mouth will keep itself open on its own. Attach the stimulator to the lower jaw, neck area." Melissa offered as she scanned the man.

Johnathan looked over at his friend and smiled. "Of course! I should've thought of that! Thanks, Mel!" He gave her an honest grin as he turned to the table and found the needed device. He then attached it to Remm's neck in the spot Melissa had specified.

It worked as advertised. Remm’s mouth was now stuck wide open. No matter what he did, he couldn't close it now.

"So, you said it should be cauterized." Johnathan repeated as he turned back to the table and found the tools he wanted. When he turned back to face Remm, he held up a nasty looking knife and a blowtorch. Next, after igniting the torch, he started to warm up the blade until it was glowing. Would you mind pulling it's tongue out Madeline?"

For a moment, Madeline was struck by Jonathan and how much he reminded her of her younger brothers at home. A slight smirk touched her lips as she watched him picking up his tools. "You can also always dislocate the jaw so they can't close their mouth." She supplied and grabbed Remm by the chin. Using the pliers, she grabbed his tongue and pulled it out uncomfortably far before lifting it. "I like to go underneath, cut inward, but angle your blade slightly up and back. It will pop right out."

Melissa prepared a sample container. She was enthusiastic about collecting samples the Captain didn't care about. And the Tongue would be an excellent sample.

Johnathan nodded to Madeline as he took in her instruction. Being this close to her, he had to admit to himself that she was a very attractive woman. Had he not been in a committed relationship, he might consider seeing where things could go. However, he was equally as content and happy to simply have another good friend.

Angling his heated blade as instructed, he ignored Remm's guttural incoherent screams as he slowly slid the blade into its mouth. The stench of seared flesh quickly started to surround them as Johnathan slowly and methodically removed the tongue.

As soon as it came free, he grinned in accomplishment. "That was easier than I thought it would be!"

Melissa reached over with her tweezers and snatched the Tongue, briskly putting it into a sample container. "Excellent. Slightly seared, but it will prove to be a marvelous sample. Now then, Since the Captain has an interest in his head, nice and bloody, I have an interest in extracting the organs below his neck. I would like to keep every single organ intact for later analysis to re-create their vaccine. specifically the liver, spleen, and other secondary organs. We could give him a small amount of cordazine to keep him from going into shock, long enough for me to extract the aforementioned. Science requires experimentation."

Chuckling, Madeline shook her head. "Afraid there isn't really time for that. We need to stick to the schedule. Don't worry though, Lieutenant. Even if they were to give us the cure at this point, I have extremely strong doubts the captain is going to be letting these vile little creatures go. You'll have all the bits and bobs you know what to do with." She flipped Remm down onto the floor and joined him there, one knee on his back to pin him while she held his face down with one hand. Pulling her dagger, she cut a line into the man's neck and then looked up at Jonathan. "I'll hold him. Cut here."

In his final moments, Remm couldn't help but scream.

OFF