Silent Friend

Posted on Thu Aug 11th, 2022 @ 5:32pm by Cerron & Lieutenant Commander Andrei Petrov
Edited on on Mon Sep 12th, 2022 @ 6:49pm

Mission: S1 Episode 3: Phage
Location: ISS Lovarr
Timeline: Mission Day 6 at 1530
2687 words - 5.4 OF Standard Post Measure

While the Kazon were perhaps not the most creative in their brutality, the unrefined and plebeian were still quite effective in achieving the desired result. Blood stained the deck under and immediately around Andrei in various shades of reds and browns. He'd been left to sit in his own filth despite the smell it was causing on the bridge; the Kazon opted to deal with it in favor of seeing their former oppressor brought to heel. He hadn't been allowed sleep; the Kazon had been taking their own moments with Andrei. None had inflicted particular grievous injury on their own, but it would add up in time. Cuts and bruises were dappled along Andrei's body, hamfisted in their application but effective enough that a Terran parent would have been proud of "baby's first torture". They had to keep him alive and Cerron had been rather diligent in making sure he remained that way.

Unfortunately, Cerron had left the bridge and left the others alone.

Andrei would still be able to see light and shifting figures out of his left eye, but his right eye was completely dark and useless. The pain still lingered, though not as bad as it had been, though that was likely that his body had become used to it at this point. He would hear the door to the bridge open once more and the sound of footsteps; judging by the discordant beat there were two of them. "I have brought food as ordered." One of the Kazon spoke up, his voice unfamiliar.

"Cerron says he must be fed and given water. We need him alive." This voice though. Andrei knew this voice. It was Kaadil, one of the two Kazon he had chosen as his personal guard.

Any light was blocked by the shadow that appeared in front of Andrei. "Open your mouth, Terran." The first Kazon demanded.

"Kaadil." Andrei called out, not responding to the command. His own stink filled his nostrils. If he weren't so full of hate, he would be ashamed. "Kaadil, is that you?"

“I said open your mouth!” The first Kazon backhanded Andrei forcefully.

Kaadil walked over to Andrei, looking down at his former master while keeping his expression neutral. “Do as he says, Terran.” The words weren’t spoken with venom. His heart wasn’t in it.

Since Kaadil was close by, Andrei spoke quietly, his cheek still stinging from the impact of the man's hand.

"You were my favorite." he said quietly. A humble admission if he'd ever given one. His voice was soft and full of pain. It wasn't clear if the pain was truly emotional, but it sounded heartfelt. "I tried to be fare with you. What of the drinks we shared? And stories?"

Andrei thought on the man's wife and children. People who were lost to him now, but that he would often ask about.

"Open his mouth, Kaadil."

Kaadil didn't respond, but Andrei would feel the man's hands move to his face. It wasn't rough or violent, he wasn't seeking to hurt Andrei unlike every other Kazon present. He squeezed Andrei's jaw imploringly, not wanting to force the issue if he didn't have to. "Open your mouth." When he spoke, his voice was firm, but not authoritative.

Andrei did as he was asked for once, slowly opening his mouth for whatever wretched food they brought for him. He needed to keep his strength up if he was going to fight this, after all.

"See? He learns." The first Kazon said smugly and before Andrei could change his mind, he delivered a spoonful of lukewarm rancid slop into the man's mouth. It was chunky, slimy, and extremely unpleasant. The taste was putrid and it would probably have been best for Andrei if he didn't dwell too hard on what was mixed in.

Andrei fought his impulse to wretch or make a face, calling on that inner calm which did truly exist. He wouldn't give them any satisfaction with this. He was determined to hold that darkness at bay which was playing at his mind. He would not give in.

"Mmmm. Tastes like chicken." he said in a monotone voice. "I didn't know you all learned how to cook. I'll have to consider you for domestic duties now that Eritrea's gone."

"Just get it over with, Rollu." Kaadil growled slightly, still holding Andrei's jaw but without force.

Rollu scoffed at Kaadil but he also didn't want to stand there spoon feeding Andrei like a child. He began to feed Andrei, not giving him breaks between each swallow and if at any point Andrei ended up fighting him, he would snap his hand over Andrei's nose and mouth to force him to swallow down the swill they were feeding him. Eventually, the bowl was emptied and Rollu tossed it aside. "What a good boy. You best keep it down."

“Mommy always said I had a stomach made of steel. I’m sure you gave me something just now that will test that theory.” Andrei said, his stomach already starting to bubble and churn quickly. “Might I ask what a have pleasure of breaking my fast on today?”

"It was growing down in the cargo bays." Rollu taunted. "We added some salt and piss just for you, special boy." He reached out and roughly pat Andrei's cheek, though it was more like slapping him repeatedly. "You ate it right down, we'll be sure to get you more."

Andrei blinked his eyes and tried to no avail to make out who he was talking to. The rancid taste still lingering in his mouth. He felt a pang of deep hatred, so strong he almost showed it. He couldn’t believe he had once been kind to these creatures.

“I have to pee.” He said. “Take me to the head, please.”

“No.” Rollu replied simply but had the good sense to now step away from Andrei, giving plenty of space so he wasn’t going to be in the line of fire. “Animals like you don’t need to worry about where you go. You thrive in filth.”

“Well even an animal is given a cage to roam in. And a nice stretch of grass to relieve themselves.” Andrei said. “I would never have treated you this way.” Andrei cleared his throat, and looked down, though he could see nothing. His body seemed to ache all over and he was absolutely exhausted from lack of sleep. “Can you at least take me to relieve myself in a different place than where I rest?”

"Who said you are going to rest?" Rollu challenged and laughed at Andrei as if he had heard something truly amusing. "You'll piss right there and like it, boy."

Andrei sighed. They were emboldened by their numbers. He wished he could just get Kaadil alone for just a few moments, but he knew it was impossible. His bladder was full and he couldn’t wait much longer, but he decided to try, just in case someone drew near and he got the chance to deal another blow himself.

“I can wait.” Andrei said with a frown. “Hey Rollu, did the nurse ever figure out why you were having that hemorrhoid problem? Or have you been having Dolme massage it for you sensually?”

"You seem to be awfully caught up on what men are doing in their private time. I thought you liked women." Rollu retorted, still keeping a far enough distance from Andrei. At least Rollu would speak to him and not just activate the agonizer like Cerron would have.

Andrei laughed like he would have if he were not chained naked on his knees and blinded. He was acting, but convincingly.

“I learned the fascination from you.” He said. “Reminds me of that joke you told in the mess last week. Hilarious. What was it again?”

"Couldn't say. There's always so many." Rollu replied, watching Andrei and smirking to himself as he wondered how long it was going to take him to lose control of himself. "Did you know your hair is very popular among the men? They say it makes you look like a woman. They'll like that when the time comes."

Deep down, something finished in Andrei that had started with this whole mutiny had began. It was the sort of thing that starts unannounced in the human soul and then progressed steadily to a point of understanding; synchronicity. These Kazon had never loved him; not really. They had always hated them for the power he had over them and it could be no different. The Kazon…Eritrea. They were really all the same sub-Terran, and incapable of true loyalty. He licked his swollen lips and regretted it for the sting.

“Now who’s the one guilty of bedroom talk?” He said, a joke without any humor. He didn’t smile. He understood finally. His mother had been wrong about the power of alliances between classes. And he was the proof.

This time, the majority of the Kazon on the bridge laughed. It was a knowing laugh, infuriating in its tone. For Andrei it was impossible to tell if Kaadil had joined in or not. "I'm sure if you're looking forward to it that much, Terran, we can find someone willing to oblige you." Rollu paused, "Though you're looking a little green."

“Am I?” He asked, feeling the bubbling in his stomach get much worse. He was going to be sick, but he would hold out as long as he could. “Must be the smell of that foul Kazon hair of yours turning my stomach. Go wash it, would you?”

"Look at the little boy, trying to act so strong." Rollu mocked Andrei, eliciting another laugh from the Kazon on the bridge. "Any bets on how much longer?" He asked those around.

"Five minutes."

"Three."

"I'd say twenty. He's defiant."

"Kaadil?" Rollu questioned.

"I'm just thinking about the smell." Kaadil replied, sounded rather disgusted.

“I bet I’ll be rescued by the Shadow Fleet eventually and that I’ll command the force that kills you all and returns you to the dung heap.” Andrei said, his anger lingering just below the surface. “I bet this ship will become a ship of nightmares. I bet many of you will kill yourselves so that I don’t get my hands on you.”

Andrei paused, expecting the agonizer to start. His stomach was loudly gurgling now and his expression was lined with pain. He felt closer to death than he had at any point since his capture a day and a half ago. He was becoming dizzy.

“I wonder how Ollan is doing, Rollu.” Andrei said simply referring to his only son. “Perhaps I’ll pay him a visit after your dead and deliver your bleached skull at his feet. Then I’ll crush his wind pipe and watch him die in agony; like father, like son.”

“My boy would break you in two. Look at yourself. You are nothing.” Rollu taunted and just laughed at Andrei again. Any of the fear Andrei might have instilled in the Kazon before was obviously gone. He had no more power here.

Andrei said nothing else. They weren’t listening accept with mockers ears. He kept his silence and planned. He would speak with actions and not with words; some day. He felt a spasm begin in his body and he did all he could to stop it. He wouldn’t be able to do so again. In addition he nearly gagged. Whatever they made him drink was not going to stay down, nor should it. Gods only know what it was.

The Kazon seemed content to leave Andrei be for the moment and work on whatever tasks they had been assigned. They did seem smart enough to at this point not come near the ticking time bomb that was Andrei. Finally, when he did lose control of himself, it was to howls of uproarious laughter of the Kazon jeering and goading him. He was alone, no one was coming to save him.

Some time passed and Andrei was allowed something resembling sleep, though it was nearly always just kept at that strange delirium of a twilight state. Kazon came and went. He was mercifully left alone. As he hung there helpless and beaten, a quiet voice spoke into his ear.

“Master, I’m sorry. I’m not sure what I can do.” It was Kaadil kneeling beside Andrei, not only that but working to clean up the filth around the man under pretense of working to get rid of at least some of the stench.

Andrei’s suffering had continued after his initial loss of control. It took several more before his system was cleared out. His stomach still ached as did every part of him. When he heard Kaadil’s voice, he winced. The fact that he still had a friend touched him immediately. If he had been a different man, he would have cried, but instead he grew skeptical. Perhaps this was a suddenly more-sophisticated method of torture. He gave a neutral expression.

“That depends on a few things, doesn’t it Kaadil? First of all, how many conspirators are there total?”

“Around forty.” The Kazon man replied. “They have control of the bridge and engineering and have the rest of the ship locked down while they figure out who can be trusted.” Kaadil spoke and gave no sign that he was deceiving Andrei, but of course the man couldn’t exactly see Kaadil to confirm anything.

“Are we alone?” Andrei asked, listening to see what he could hear of the room.”

“Rakor is asleep at his post.” That was nothing new to either of them. He had often fallen asleep during his duties and often ended up in the agonizer for it. “The others are away eating or sleeping or waiting on me to finish cleaning.”

Andrei hesitated only a moment, understanding that, whether trusted the Kazon or not, he had nothing to lose but his shackles.

“Kill Rakor and free me from these chains.” He said calmly.

“If he wakes we are both dead.” Kaadil pointed out. “Perhaps I should try to send a message to the Vengeance first?” His eyes darted over to Rakor and then back to Andrei.

Andrei thought about the point he had made and nodded.

“Be careful. Mask what you’re doing as normal work.”

"Yes, Master." Kaadil replied and Andrei would feel him withdraw. He could hear work being done, but there was nothing else for him to go on. No words, no context, no updates to him. The doors opened and footsteps filled the room.

"Rakor, wake up." Cerron's voice demanded and the man startled awake. "Kaadil. Kaadil?" There was a pause. "What are you doing?"

"Just checking the status in engineering." Kaadil replied, a note of nervousness in his voice.

Andrei didn't need to see it to know it was over.

"You traitorous bastard!" Cerron roared out as he ripped Kaadil away from the console and threw him to the middle of the room. The other Kazon had turned on him, and Andrei could hear them beating his last friend and ally down until his grunts of pain silenced.

Cerron grabbed Andrei by the hair. "Your pet is dead."

Andrei listened with large eyes as Kaadil was beaten to death. He had never been the most competent slave, and he died in the same state he lived. A putty and a shame, but Andrei found he cared far less for Kazon lives than he once did. He felt a pant of sorry mostly for himself that he was again alone and that there was no foreseeable way out of his situation.

“A thousand more will spring up.” Andrei said, spitting, pulling against the hold the man had on his hair to no avail. “And you will lead them all. You shall be my right hand man, Cerron! You fucking twat!”

Cerron gave no answer to Andrei. There was only pain as the agonizer took him once more. No one was coming for him.

END