Hell to Pay

Posted on Mon Sep 26th, 2022 @ 4:18am by Lieutenant Commander Lyra Cassiel & Cerron & Lieutenant Commander Andrei Petrov
Edited on on Fri Oct 7th, 2022 @ 6:36am

Mission: In-Between (S1:E3-S1:E4)
Location: Lovarr
Timeline: Mission Day 20 at 0800
4378 words - 8.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

Andrei Petrov stood in his quarters on the Lovarr dressed in a fine black tunic and pants which glimmered with silken stitching. Over his heart was a pin of the emblem of the Empire. He looked like the Emperor himself, and his head was framed with his black locks of hair. He looked at himself in the mirror, the patch over his right eye adding to his menace and mystery.

When he arrived, he had given orders that Cerron and the only remaining original Kazon on the Lovarr be prepared for him. Today was the day that Boris’s transformation would be complete.

The personnel on the Lovarr had done as Andrei asked, setting the leaders up in the room where Cassiel's "education" for them had taken place. Blood still stained the deck and the chains where the young men had been bound up on the walls still shifted and clinked ominously. The Kazon were on the floor, chained as they had been when they had to watch Cassiel exact the toll for defiance in blood and flesh. They were silent, heads low, waiting. Cerron was in the corner, slumped as low as his bindings would allow. Around his neck he still wore his sealed manhood that Andrei had put there.

Andrei exited the room, a severe look in his face, and he wrinkled his nose at the smell of the carnage in the corridor. It hadn’t been cleaned nor would it for a while. It smelled worse than anything he’d ever experienced before and it filled the command deck. Kazon who served duty posts on the Bridge had to walk through it to get there, reminding them well of the fruit of what was done to him. He took a deep breath. It was time to pay Cerron back.

"Morning." Lyra greeted as she walked up the corridor. Given this was one of the last days of her medically mandated "light duty" (which really translated into time off since everyone was on light duty anyways), she was wanting to fill her days with as much enjoyment as she could muster, and what better way to be here on the Lovarr with Andrei to see him exact his toll from the Kazon who had tortured him. She didn't seem particularly joyful, but there was an air of keen anticipation around her. Turning to the marine who had walked up with her, she gave him a nod of dismissal and only when he had turned away did she place her hand on Andrei's hip. It was familiar, but not too intimate.

Andrei's gaze softened slightly in seeing Lyra and hearing her voice, but not much. Instead, his mind remained squarely on the task at hand. This was a big deal for him.

"Good morning." he said, and then turned, heading down the corridor and trusting she was behind him. "Now that vacation is nearly over, I must face my daemons. And Cerron must face his."

"Yes." She agreed, following him easily and even managing to keep her thoughts from wandering as she watched him move. She was drawn by his focus and drive and of course quite looking forward to what was to come. As they paused just outside the room she touched his back, reminding him of her presence but also giving the promise of not interfering. "Are you ready?"

"I couldn't be more ready." he said to her, his look still quite severe. There was no sweetness in him now as she had seen so many times before. There was no question who he really was. No charm. No grins. No Cheek. Just purpose, hot and focused. He pressed in his code and stepped into the room.

Lyra stepped in with him, thinking nothing of his lack of warmth to her. This was business after all, and grisly business at that. As they walked in she watched with dark amusement as the Kazon shifted in fear. Even after over two weeks of leaving them be, they were still just as cowed as when she left them last. She moved into their view, but stood off to the side to watch unless invited to participate.

Cerron was at the wall, the weeks of suffering having changed his appearance significantly. Andrei looked at the orb around his neck and nodded.

"Boris, wake up." he said to the Kazon, standing somewhat off, his head held high and his jaw tight. "Bark for me, Boris."

Cerron stirred as he heard his name, frowning and looking around. When he saw Andrei and Lyra in the room, he immediately cowered in fear, though obviously hadn’t heard the order given to him by Andrei. “Master…” He greeted slowly, unsure.

“I said Bark.” Andrei said with a calm grimace. “Or you’ll be losing another body part.”

Frowning, Cerron worked his mouth almost stupidly for a moment before he made a sound approximating a bark though it was weak and rather ineffectual. He didn't dare look up at Andrei and tried to cower closer to the wall.

“What was that? A squeal and nothing more!” Andrei said with venom in his tone. “I said bark now, Dog!”

Cerron winced even though he hadn't been hit and tried to raise his hands to cover his face though of course he couldn't. He tried again, this bark slightly more convincing though hoarse as if he hadn't been given water that day. Lyra watched from where she was, her eyes shifting between Andrei and Cerron and ignoring the other Kazon for the moment though she would have enjoyed tormenting them just a bit.

“Good boy.” Andrei said, a dark smile creeping across his face. Then he moved to a nearby Kazon and used his keys to unshackle the man. He collapsed to the floor, his body weak but not totally without power. Andrei grabbed him by the arm, a look of disgust on his face, and righted him. He wordlessly guided the Kazon to stand right in front of Cerron. Since the man was already naked, his job was nearly done.

“Boris, in your former life, before you were obedient to Master, you chained me up and threatened to have me handed over to a pack of Kazon so that they could have their way with me. Little did you know you were describing your fate. This Kazon has been obedient to his betters recently. You will give him pleasure with your mouth as a reward for his single-minded devotion to the Empire.” Andrei said, scowling. “Now.”

This time both Kazon men shifted uncomfortably, the one Andrei was holding put his hands in front of his groin. “Master, the idea disgusts me.” He said, his voice wavering and quiet.

Cerron briefly looked up, frowning deeply and looking very much like he was about to resist this particular command. He then averted his gaze, but as he did so his eyes briefly passed over Lyra who was now absently toying with the short, wide, curved knife in her hand. She wasn’t looking at them, but she had to be aware. He nodded his agreement to Andrei slowly.

Andrei glared at the Kazon standing before Cerron, his eyes dangerous.

"You refuse a gift of the Empire, slave?" he asked, taking a step closer to him, his fists balled. "You respond with disgust when you should respond with devotion and gratefulness? Would you like to join Boris in his fate? Or perhaps you would like to reward him for his obedience instead..."

"N-no, Master. I am sorry." The Kazon stuttered out. "I will accept this... gift."

"Good. Proceed." Andrei said, turning around. He pointed to the two security guards. "You two, observe enough to see that the deed is done. Come get us when it's complete."

He turned then to Lyra and indicated the door. He wasn't interested in watching and he figured she wouldn't be either.

Lyra canted her head in acknowledgement and headed for the door, walking out ahead of Andrei while still playing with her knife in her fingers. She didn't say anything, merely turned to him and looked up to see if he wanted to wait here or go somewhere else.

"Let's go back to the room." he said simply; tensely. He was going to make these slaves submit to him in all ways. And only then, when they had truly and completely lost everything they once were, might he kill them.

"Alright." She agreed and turned to head to his room without anything more said. She didn't try to touch him at the moment, she could feel his tension from where she was and she knew the smell of the carnage around them wouldn't help with that. When they finally stepped inside, she took a deep breath of the clean, filtered air and let it out slowly.

"That will probably take a while."

“Yes, probably. Neither of them were excited about the idea.” Andrei said, lowering himself onto a couch and looking up at her. He seemed suddenly tired, yet that sense of determination in his eyes didn’t go away. Eventually, a smile started to creep up. “Your people won’t be happy to have to monitor them either.”

“No, they won’t. As long as they obey and do their job I’ll figure out some way to reward them.” Lyra moved to sit down next to him on the couch. She reached her arm out and started to rub his back lightly with her nails. It was a calming, affectionate gesture. She didn’t need to ask if he was alright. This was a mixed bag of emotions and she knew it. Her body language was open and receptive, but she wouldn’t press him.

With anyone else, he would’ve been like stone. But with her, something in him started to warm. He was used to female affection and encouragement; his mother had always been his structure as a child and could be relied on for words that reminded him of his power. He didn’t put on the strong act with Lyra. Instead, he leaned and placed his head on her breast. Wordless; he closed his eyes.

She switched her hand from his back to his hair, running her fingers through it and gently stimulating his scalp with her nails, having noticed how much he enjoyed her doing so even if he might try to hide it. “What is the next step?” She asked after a few moments. Her voice was gentle, something only for him.

Andrei closed his eyes and let several seconds pass before he answered.

"I see a group of warriors more fearsome than any the Delta Quadrant has ever seen, built from their own stock. I see slaves who are completely broken, missing everything that connected them to their lives from before, pushed to the absolutely peak of physical ability; used as the sharp weapon of this fleet." he said, and then looked up at her, his face serious. "I'm going to give them new lives...I'm going to make them absolutely obedient and then...I'm going to find more."

Lyra looked down into his eyes, her gaze intense and fierce. "Good." She said simply and leaned in to kiss him, her approval of his plan apparent. "I will help you, if you want it."

"Yes, I want it." he said, his hand finding her breast and resting there, more a comfort grab than a suggestive one. He was clearly upset, but he'd die before he discussed his feelings. He resumed his head on her chest.

She could feel the tension in his body, see the bothered expression in his eyes. She held him close, continuing to play with his hair and kiss his forehead. After a few moments, she decided to try something and see how he responded. "I was afraid I was going to lose you, Andrei." She spoke softly to him, her words genuine.

Andrei didn't react for a few seconds, but after a while, he moved his hand to her side and lifted his head. Drawing her close, he now held her instead, some of the tension having dissipated somehow.

"You almost did." he said calmly. "But here I am. And I'm not going anywhere I don't intend to go."

"I'd hope not. I would be rather upset and I'd just have to go and get you back. That doesn't tend to end well for people." She pressed her forehead to his gently and closed her eyes.

He kissed her lips quickly, smiling.

"You were quite the fighter. The Kazon shake in fear when they smell your perfume."

"Yes, they do." Lyra smiled at him as she opened her eyes. "But they will kneel before you and call you lord and master." She kissed him again, tracing her fingers down his cheek slowly and following the line of his neck to his chest.

“The first of many.” He said, resolutely. And he meant that now more than ever. About twenty minutes passed in which they held each other and talked about anything that came to their minds. When the chime came at the door, Andrei sat up straight but left his arm around her. “Come in.”

The door opened and one of the officers that Andrei had left to oversee his command stepped inside. He looked rankled and quite unhappy with his current lot in life. He seemed to consider his words for a moment, his plain brown eyes resting on Andrei, then shifting to Lyra and following the long line of her legs, then back to Andrei. "Your... orders have been carried out, sir." He said, making a face as he did so like even the words tasted bad.

“Good.” Andrei said, looking at the security officer with some interest. He could see the man’s heartbeat through his interface and saw how elevated his stress levels were. “What took so long? Was he not talented at the task?”

"I couldn't say, sir, I've never done it myself." The man replied, his eyes going to Lyra as she barely stifled a giggle.

“Surely you’ve experienced it once or twice?” And Andrei asked in a somewhat commanding tone. He wasn’t interested in games right now. “How did the slaves respond? Was there compliance or were they resigned? I need to know what is in their heads.”

Lyra didn’t need an interface to see that her officer was becoming increasingly flustered and offended over the whole ordeal. She put a hand on Andrei’s knee, but looked at the man by the door. “This is important, Dale.” She called him by his name, snapping his attention to her right away. “Answer his question.”

He shifted awkwardly again. “I’d say the majority were resigned. Three of them were compliant.”

Andrei stood up from the couch again then, offering Lyra a hand to help her get up as well.

“Then it’s time for us to get back to it.” He said, his expression grim.

Taking his hand, Lyra stood with grace and ease then looked into Andrei's eyes. "Yes, it is." She agreed, squeezing his hand and following him back out of the room. To see what he had in store next from his potential praetorians.

The three of them entered the room of horrors again. Somehow the room was full of a shame and desperation that it had never reached before. This latest act had taken away even the sense of manhood they had enjoyed. Andrei looked at the Kazon, his eyes resting on Cerron.

“I take it the reward had been given to these slaves of the Empire, Boris?” He asked, drawing near him.

"Yes, master." Cerron replied, his voice small and meek. He didn't look up to Andrei, his head low and he seemed to be hiding his face.

“Good. Very good. Im proud of you and your obedience, Boris.” Andrei said. He then stepped up to the Kazon and leaned down toward him. “But I’m afraid I don’t want you getting used to that. So…I’m going to have your tongue pulled out. It might not make sense now, but it will later. Trust in the Empire.”

He stood then and looked at the other Kazon.

“Boris is a hero of a dog, higher than all of you, for has given everything to the Empire. His manhood, his name, his past, and even his power of speech.” Andrei’s eyes were dark but they sparkled as he looked at each of them. “You will join him in his esteem in the coming days.”

“Master, please, have mercy.” Cerron begged quietly.

Lyra continued to quietly stand to the side and watch Andrei reclaim himself and his power over the filthy excuses of existence before them. She didn’t interfere, but offered a pillar of obvious support and approval to him, ready to assist when he wanted it.

Andrei closed his eyes as Cerron spoke. He seemed to truly take the words in and a warm and eerily peaceful expression crossed his face.

“Boris, you’re pleading is like music to my ears. It fills my heart with delight, you know?” He said, his eyes finding the Kazon’s again; his face still smiling. “It’s too bad I won’t be able to enjoy them any longer.”

He turned to Lyra then, his hand out for her knife. He had his own, of course, but her’s were always so very sharp.

“Might I borrow that, Love?”

"Of course, darling." Lyra replied with ease, pulling her knife and holding the flat side of the blade while offering the hilt to Andrei. She craved to put her hands on these Kazon again, but Boris... Boris was special. The others she might get to toy with. She released the blade as soon as Andrei took it and moved to pick up the cauterizing tool again. He wouldn't want Boris to bleed out after all.

"Master, please!" Cerron pleaded a little louder this time. "I was wrong, I understand it now. You don't have to do this. How will I proclaim your greatness if I can't speak?"

“Boris, Boris..” Andrei said, holding his hands out to the side, a smile coming to his face, playful and toothy. The knife was between his fingers. “You will proclaim my greatness with your silence. And, of course, you will bark for me. Is that not good enough? Are you proposing something better?”

Cerron frowned, frantically trying to think. "I-I... I could be a herald for you!" He tried to bargain. "Announce you to your betters, master!" His eyes shifted to Lyra's boots as he heard her chuckle. He swallowed hard.

“My betters, Boris?” Andrei asked, rotating the knife in his hand. He was toying with him like a cat with a mouse. “Who is better than me?”

"N-no. I meant... I meant those who would think they were your betters, Master. So they could know the truth that they are not." Cerron was stumbling over his words now, sweating profusely. It was clear his mind was not working well and that was no surprise given what he and the others had been subjected to. "Please..."

Leave them with nothing. Lyra mentally willed Andrei, but didn't speak.

“That’s not good enough, Boris. You’ll have to do better.” Andrei said, shaking his head. “Come on, doggy, think! How can you save that tongue of yours?”

Cerron was very quiet for a moment and then spoke slowly. "Do you want me to... serve you, Master?" He questioned, the suggestion pointed.

"What?" Lyra hissed dangerously from behind Andrei and stepped up behind him.

While Lyra was clearly angry, Andrei could do nothing but laugh. And laugh he did, until tears were running down his face. It took a long while before his cackling stopped, but when it did he shook his head.

"Oh, Boris. You've lost everything. And, rest assured, you will live to announce my greatness, but on my terms." Andrei said, pointing to himself, his smile going away. "You will learn to love my will above all others, and you will respond with eager devotion to my every command. I will introduce you to the most exquisite pain without end until the day the words 'master, please have mercy' are replaced forever on your lips with 'master, your will be done.'"

While Andrei laughed, Lyra had time to calm herself, though she wanted to tear out the wretched little creature’s tongue herself for even making such a vile suggestion about Andrei. She disengaged from the pair to pace the room a few times. The other Kazon shifted closer together as if that would somehow protect them from her obvious anger. Eventually, she was calm enough to return though she was still succinctly displeased.

“Y-yes, Master.” Cerron said, his voice and body quaking.

"What do you think, Lyra?" Andrei said, turning around and looking at the clearly irritated woman. "Tongue or no tongue?"

“No tongue. He doesn’t deserve it.” She stared down at Cerron who winced. “None of them do. They don’t deserve to speak your name, mine, or anyone else’s again.”

Andrei looked at Cerron and offered a shrug. Then he stepped up to him, grabbed his jaw with both hands and, when Cerron’s tongue was visible, grabbed it quickly with his hand. Pulling hard in the dry tongue, he plunged the dagger into his mouth and sawed roughly until the whole thing came out.

Lyra watched with some sort of twisted righteous anger as Andrei took Cerron's tongue. The man's screams of agony and fear filled the room and she drank it in with pleasure. When he pulled back she looked to Andrei. "Would you like me to cauterize that, darling, or do you want to?"

Andrei approached her and grabbed her hand, pulling it to his lips and kissing it tenderly. Then he took the cauterization tool and, walking up to Cerron, he began to work, ignoring the blood pouring out of the Kazon's mouth. When he was done, he turned to look at Lyra and the security officers.

"Castration and tongue removal for all of these Kazon. Don't let them die." he said decisively, eyeing Lyra here. "I'm done here for now."

Lyra nodded, though followed Andrei out into the corridor again. "Andrei." She called to him gently after making sure they were alone. She took his hand, giving it a gentle tug to get him to stop walking. Stepping up to him, she pressed her body just slightly to his and put her hands on his cheeks. She looked into his eyes with her intense, dark gaze. "Let this end here. Anymore doubt, pain, fear from what happened to you," her hands slid down to his neck, "wrap your hands around it and choke the life from it. You have passed through fire, you have learned, it is worthless to you now."

Her fingers slid back up, cradling his face. "You are powerful, mighty, and you will rule them all." She leaned in and kissed him then, tender, maybe even loving, and then stepped back.

Andrei leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, and then came out again, his eyes locked on hers. He smiled against her warm hands on his face.

"I'm much better now. And with every step in their enslavement, I will get better still." he said, then angled his head back toward the door. "We are turning my weakness into my greatest strength."

Lyra nodded and ran her fingers through his hair, smiling gently as she regarded him. "You look very regal, you know." She then turned her eyes back to the door. "Do you want me to oversee the rest or stay with you, darling?"

"I got the sense you might want to spend a few minutes with the Kazon." Andrei said, putting his hands on her hips. "Go ahead and take some time. I'll go back down to the hotel room and wash up."

"Alright." Lyra agreed and turned back to kiss him. "I won't be long. Is there anything else you would like done?" She paused and tilted her head. "Do you want them to keep their hair? I know that was a point of pride for them."

"Shave them bald." he said with a nod. "I want to finish the brainwashing as well. I've ordered a digital lab set up a few decks down. Once they heal from their surgeries today, we'll have them moved down there where they will stream constant images of propaganda accentuating the glory of the Empire, my father, and me. It should have very powerful results."

"Oh, it will." She chuckled darkly at the notion, a cruel smile forming on her face, though as she looked at him in the eyes it went back to the warmth she often showed him. "I'll take care of everything, darling. You go and get cleaned up, try not to drown in all that paperwork. Do you want this recorded so you can watch later?"

"I'm not as engaged as I was before. I'm ready for the next stage." he said, shaking his head. "Have fun."

He leaned forward and kissed her deeper and slower. He loved that he could trust her with this project of his. Though, in truth, he hadn't cleared it with anyone and he didn't intend to.

His kiss pulled her focus solely back to him with ease. She leaned into it, returning it with depth and restrained but apparent passion. She held it for a long moment and then finally stepped back. She placed a hand over his heart on top of the Imperial emblem he was wearing. She lingered there, feeling the steady but slightly quicker beating of his heart, and then finally pulled away. "I'll see you soon, darling." With that, she stepped back into the room to deal with the Kazon.

Andrei watched her exit, his eyes falling on her body unreservedly, and then turned to head back to the transporter. He would wash himself of this place for now and enjoy some time in the sun again.

END