Chapter 66
An uncontrollable anger
Tarin woke up in a cold dark room. She was laying face down on a filthy steel table. Her wrists were strapped to the end of the table in front of her head. She had been stretched out on top of the table as far as she could be by having her ankles fastened down at the far end. The room stank of rot and mildew. The air was damp and she could hear the sound of water dripping and splashing into a puddle on the floor. There was a rag pushed into her mouth held in by a long piece of electrical cord that had been tied around her head. She looked around the darkened room frantically trying to find someway of escape. She realized then she was naked and completely helpless.
Tarin froze as she heard heavy metal footsteps coming from somewhere behind her in the distance. She tried to look behind her but she wasn’t able to turn her head that far stretched out like she was. She looked to the other side and saw human skins hanging up on the wall. They appeared to be all women. Their faces hung low stretched by their own weight into grotesque forms that made them look as if they were crying out in anguish. Her heart was pounding so hard it began to hurt. She knew nobody had any idea where she was or that she had been captured.
She felt sick and was trembling all over from the thought of what was about to happen to her. The droid would soon arrive and skin her alive like the others hanging on the wall. Tarin began to panic as she pulled as hard as she could against the straps and buckles that held her down on the cold metal table. Her wrists began to bleed from her struggling so hard. Suddenly she noticed that her hand was slipping through the straps. She pulled as hard as she could but it wouldn’t go any further. This is why when she killed she did it quickly and cleanly. Everything was planned to keep the suffering to a minimum. This is what she feared herself, a long drawn out death. It was her greatest fear.
The footsteps sounded closer now and she was running out of time. Tarin could feel tears running down her face. She felt sick to her stomach and clammy. The droid’s footsteps were right behind her now and they sounded just a few feet away. The droid’s massive metal hand
grabbed her hair and pulled her head back. She could feel the vertebrae in her neck being bent back as far as they would go. She was looking straight up at the ceiling and then she saw a man’s face looking down on her.
“Do you remember me Tarin?” the man asked as he took the gag from out of her mouth.
Tarin though as hard as she could. He was the man in the penthouse. He had the two Twi’lek girls with him. It’s where the men on jet bikes that rescued her from the alley took her.
“Yes! Yes. I remember you.” For some reason she was relieved that she remembered.
“Good, that’s a start. My friend here wants to carve you up pretty badly right now but I need you to give me some answers. If you tell me what I want to know I promise to have him let you go.” He said.
“Anything, I’ll do anything just get me out of here.” She said.
“I already know you’ll do anything.” He said tracing his finger around her face. “But just to make sure you fully understand what will happen if you lie to me I’m going to have BFR 88 cut off your left foot.” He said taking a step back.
“NO! I’ll be good. I won’t lie just get me out of here and I’ll do whatever you want please!” Tarin was in near hysterics as she felt the droid clamp down on her leg to hold it still.
“It has to be done Tarin. I am sorry.” The man said turning away.
Tarin heard the saw turn on and rev up till it was a loud droning whine. She screamed as the blade began to cut into her leg just above the ankle.
“Stop!” the man said. The droid took the saw and turned it off.
“I’ve changed my mind Tarin. I think for now I’ll keep you in one piece.” He said. “Release her and give her something to wear. Bring her to the penthouse after she calms down then we’ll see if she can earn herself a quick death.
Den Athgar looked out of the window of his friend’s house onto the busy streets below. He had been cooped up in the house for two weeks and was becoming impatient.
“Hey you shouldn’t sit so close to the window when you look out, someone might recognize you.” The Feloid woman said as she came into the room. She was carrying a tray that held food and drinks.
“Your right Hesta, I’m just so damned tired of hiding out here. I need to get on with my mission.” Den said as he reluctantly moved away from the window.
“Well you’ll be happy to know I have some information for you. There are some rumors that I’m checking out about Stella being seen living in the palace of the Ty clan. She is rumored to have begun building a group of Rebels with the help of Maxis Ty. Maxis Ty was murdered some time ago so now his eldest child, Lionette, is leader. It would make perfect sense that she would be hiding there if she has come back to Feloid space.” Hesta said.
“Why is that?” Den asked.
“Maxis sent Lionette to help Stella after she first arrived. Stella knows Lionette quite well and the Ty clan is honor bound to help any Jedi that asks for it.” She said.
“I can save you some time about checking on the Rebel group. I had contact with them twice. They wanted me to help them find Stella after she was captured but I declined. I regret that decision now. If I could have found her when they asked me to, none of this would be happening at all. I tried to correct that wrong by helping them when Stella arrived on the pirate base. Once again I didn’t act fast enough and she had killed one of them before I could get to her.” Den said looking out the window.
“I still find it hard to believe she’s alive. When I cut the bridge supports over that shaft I saw her hit her head on the way down. It must have killed her. I was prepared so I was able to slow my decent by leaping from side to side and thus decreasing my speed until I could jump into one of the access shafts.” He said.
“So you think she’s on Ty Prime?” Hesta asked.
“It makes sense. It’s the only place safe for her now.” He said.
“I know you think she’s the Sith enforcer but what if you’re wrong? What if what they said was true? What if there is a Sith enforcer that she’s been tracking and she isn’t still crazy” Hesta asked.
“You don’t understand Hesta, I want it to be true. I want Stella to be right but no one but her has seen this mysterious other woman. I want Stella to be right and come back to us again. She had such raw talent, the kind of natural skill and intellect that could have made her a Jedi master. She had everything she needed but there was one catch, she also had an uncontrollable anger inside her.”
Matt walked through the door to Pep and his quarters. He was glad to be home again. Things were getting back to normal finally and it was beginning to feel the way it was before between them.
Pep came running down from upstairs smiling. Her Feloid hearing was much more acute than human hearing and she could tell just by the subtle differences people make who was coming through the door. She ran up to Matt and jumped up on him wrapping her legs and arms around him. Matt wrapped his arms around Pep and carried her to the sofa and laid her on it still holding tight. They kissed passionately and then looked into each other’s eyes.
“Oops, I thought you were my old man. Oh well I guess what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” Pep joked as if Matt was a stranger.
“Is he as good looking as me?” Matt joked back.
“Nope, he’s old and fat but he has a lot of money.” Pep said smiling.
“If he’s fat you must be a good cook then.” Matt said.
“I’m good at a lot of things.” She giggled.
“First the food woman then…the other things.” Matt said standing up.
“Yes sir, one fantastic meal coming right up.” Pep jumped to her feet and ran into the kitchen area as Matt swatted her rear as she passed by.
Matt watched as Pep began dishing up his diner. He felt good about his decision to help Pep long ago. She always looked sad before but now he had a hard time remembering the last time she was sad. He had an even harder time remembering when he was sad himself. Then it hit him. It was when she they thought she was dead. He wanted to die. It was true what Pep had said so long ago they needed each other. He wanted to take her away from this life but there wasn’t anyplace safe. He was living a lie. Anywhere else he would be hunted down by bounty hunters for his war crimes and she was just a dirty slave girl. Here in the Rebellion at least they had value. Their pasts like everyone else’s were forgotten. It was all they had.
“How are you feeling today?” Mykala asked Stella. Stella was sitting in an overstuffed chair on the balcony. She had on a thick robe with a blanket covering her legs. The morning air was cool but Mykala thought it was a bit much.
Stella turned her head towards Mykala and smiled. “Much better thanks. I’m already feeling better. I guess I just needed some rest. I’ve been running for so long I’m not used to relaxing any more.”
“You look warm enough under all of that. Aren’t you too hot?” Mykala asked.
“A little… it just feels so good to have something wrapped around me keeping me warm.” Stella looked away from Mykala and into the distance. “It’s just been so lonely on my own.”
“I wish you contacted us sooner Stella…maybe we could have helped.” Mykala said as she sat down across from her.
“There was nothing you could have done. You all had your own problems to deal with. Besides I wasn’t even sure what side I was on any more for quiet some time afterward.” Stella said quietly.
“Well that’s all behind us Stella. You’re safe and with friends now. You can relax and take it easy for a while.” Mykala said patting her hand in reassurance.
Stella turned and looked intently at Mykala. “No. No I can’t. She’s still out there Mykala and she’s looking for you. I have to help you stop her. She’s the one in the prophecy. She won’t stop until you join the Emperor. She’s worse than Lyda. She doesn’t want to kill you she wants to turn you. She wants you to become an agent of darkness like her.” Stella had clamped her hand down hard on Mykala’s.
“Easy Stella we’re all safe here. Nobody can get to us here.” Mykala said trying to ease Stella’s worries.
“I got in didn’t I? She’s every bit as good as me and I walked right into the palace and into Lionette’s chambers. She could be here right now.” Stella said suddenly looking around.
Mykala was beginning to realize just how bad off Stella was. It was a miracle that she made it here at all.
“Look just tell them my name is Bronski, Buck Bronski. I’m reporting back to duty. I left on a freighter and now I’m back on a yacht.” Bronski was trying to get clearance into Feloid space for Za’sha, and Remha because they were his ride back. He needed more than just his word for the patrol ship to let them continue on their way.
“If you don’t believe me check with Tarin Farstar on coded channel four. She can verify our identity.” Bronski said.
“Tarin Farstar left Feloid space four days ago. No one else is available to verify your friends security level.” Replied the officer on the patrol ship.
“She left? Where did she go?” Buck asked the question but he already knew the answer. She had figured out what he did and was going back to stop him. “Never mind we’re leaving!”
Bronski turned off the transmitter and looked at Remha and Za’sha. “She went back to the planet. She must have figured out what I was doing. She’s been gone for four days so she’s been there poking around for at least twenty four hours. If we don’t get back that thing is going to find her.”
“It’s going to take three days to get there. We’ll be too late.” Remha said.
“There is a short cut but it’s going to be rough.” Za’sha said pointing at the astrogation chart.
“That’s the Wesdurn worm hole. It’s only a spacefarer’s tale. Nobody’s ever actually gone through it Za’sha.” Bronski said standing up.
“Well it’s on the chart and I say we try it.” Za’sha said.
“It’ll rip this ship to pieces!” Bronski said.
“It’s not my ship, I stole it remember.” Za’sha said smiling.
“I say we go for it.” Remha added.
“You two are really crazy you know that?” Bronski said.
“What’s the matter Buck, isn’t Tarin worth giving it a shot?” Remha said.
Bronski looked at both of them and sat down. “How much time will it cut off the journey?” he asked.
“If the ship holds together it will only take twenty four hours instead of seventy two.” Za’sha said.
“Fuck it, lets go and ride that wormhole.” Bronski said.
Za’sha sat back down at the controls and began to quickly put in the coordinates to make the jump.
“What did you mean,”If the ship holds together.” Bronski asked Za’sha.
“There’s a good chance the forces in the wormhole will rip this ship to bits.” She answered calmly.
“Doesn’t that worry you just a little?” he asked.
“I already told you it’s not my ship.” Za’sha laughed.
Timtam opened the drain cover on the gun ship’s left engine and jumped back. The oily black liquid spewed out and into the drain pan she had placed under it. She laughed to herself remembering how the first time she did it she had the whole reserve empty onto her face. Every day she was learning more and more. It felt good to know she wasn’t stupid. She was earning her way at last.
“What’s so funny?” Granic asked angrily. “This ship has got to be finished today.”
“I was just remembering the first time I changed the fluids on one of these. I didn’t know the fluids would…” Granic cut her short.
“I know what happened, I was there. Now stop playing around and do your damned job.” He snapped. He turned and walked away happy that he had put Timtam back on track.
“Is it true?” she asked as he walked away.
Granic turned and looked at her. “Is what true?” he asked coarsely.
“Is it your fault that Mykala and Hudd almost got killed? Don’t you care about them?” she asked quietly.
“I set up the transaction…that’s it. I can’t be held accountable for what your kind does to others. Your kind is just as bad as the rest, damned savages.” Granic snapped back.
“What if they had been killed?” Timtam said with a slight tone of anger that caught Granic by surprise.
“What?” Granic asked.
“I thought you were my friend. All you care about is yourself. You think we’re all like the Empire Granic but we’re not. Some of us just want to be your friend.” She said half yelling and half crying.
Something in her tone hit him. He was being unfair to the others. It wasn’t their fault they were different.
“Get back to work!” was all he could think of to say.
Lionette was sitting in the Colonel’s office when he returned. He was surprised by her unannounced visit. As soon as he saw her sitting in her regular chair he snapped to attention and saluted.
Lionette rolled her eyes. “Please close the door Colonel.”
The Colonel closed the door to his office and walked over behind his desk.
“Please sit down Colonel, this won’t take long.” She said.
He pulled out his chair and sat back down.
“To what do I owe this honor My Lady?”
“I apologize for arriving unannounced Colonel but I wish to modify my instructions to you.” She said.
“Modify your instructions?” he asked.
“Yes, my instructions regarding the girl Pep and the girls she rescued. I have spoken with her about the breeding of the girls on Geirgor and I don’t want anyone to interfere with anything she does in that regard. She and I have entered into…let us say an agreement. The details aren’t important at this time. I am temporarily allowing her to proceed with her plan to help the girls become mothers. She has a good plan but has simply gone about it in the wrong way. I will soon have a charter allowing the girls to become pregnant if they wish it. So you can have your men on Geirgor back and free to investigate other situations.” She said.
“Forgive my asking My Lady but can she be trusted?” he asked.
Lionette interlaced her fingers. “I have watched this girl go from the commonest pleasure slave trained only in satisfying the bassist of needs to one of the most intelligent planners I know. It seems her skills at survival as a slave has given her great insight into forward perception. Every situation she has been thrown into has always resulted in her surviving and in most cases profiting. Besides it is always better to keep people who could become a danger close to you.” Lionette said smiling.
“I see your point. What will happen to the breeding drugs that she has in her possession?” He asked.
“As you well know even freed cat girls must be given those drugs to breed and even though they are free the drugs must be obtained legally I will get a charter to do just that and allow her to use those drugs in a way that makes them legal. As far as I can see this solves all our problems. She was only doing it illegally because she thought I wouldn’t help her. She still has little trust in the ruling class to do the right thing.” Lionette said.
“Once a slave always a slave.” The Colonel said letting his bigotry slip.
Lionette ignored his comment confident in the knowledge that he was a soldier and would follow any order she gave.
“I see you’re letting your hair grow out. Kllair said.
“No sense in cutting it any more I guess.” Adda said as she ran her fingers through it. She hadn’t been able to do that since she was a child.
“It suits you Adda. You’re a good looking woman, you should let it grow long.” Kllair said.
Adda smiled and dared to look in the mirror and see how she looked.
“Why did you rescue me Kllair? You could have left me there to rot. I can’t help thinking you have some grand plan for me.” Adda said.
Kllair offered Adda a seat in her small makeshift office.
“Let me tell you a little story Adda. A long time ago there was an up and coming young officer. She had been born into a military family and had attended the finest military academes there were. She was wealthy and had all the finest things money could by but in the back of her mind she was scared. She was terrified of the day that she would have to go to war. She loved her life and everything she had but hated the fact that one day it would all be taken away from her by some lowe class conscript soldier that just got a lucky shot. All it would take is one of those energy bolts or fragments to be in the same place she was at the same time and everything she loved would be gone.” Kllair said.
Adda knew Kllair was talking about herself. She was finally going to find out who Kllair was and what made her tick.
“Then one day it happened, she was called to war. She sat up the entire night before she was to leave terrified beyond her control crying. She was certain she would be killed within a few days. She needed a way to be safe. Then it hit her. She would become a sniper. She would learn how to be the hunter and be the one that caused the fear in others. Because of her status and wealth she was allowed to try out for sniper school and was found to be a natural. She quickly graduated from the class and was sent to the front lines. She did well scoring more kills than anyone else in her unit. They called her a hero, they said how brave she was but it was all because she was scared. She was driven to kill as many of the enemy she could because that meant there were less of them left to try and kill her.
During this time she had gained a reputation as a killing force. Her superiors would let the enemy know she was in the area. At first she was outraged. She thought the enemy would do everything they could to kill her now but instead she saw her presence caused the enemy to spend most of their time in hiding. She had become something to fear and that was a way to control others actions.
Eventually the war ended and she went home a hero. She thought about her experiences night and day and tried to make sense of the war and came to the conclusion that the only thing that stopped the killing was the fear the enemy units that faced her had. She began to become obsessed with the idea of ending war as we know it. She concluded that if she could assemble a small band of killers that had no mercy and relished inflicting pain on others she could then use this group to take fear not to the battlefield but to those who start the wars. She would take the horror to the ones in charge that are tasked with preventing wars. They usually fail at this task because they are never at risk nor are their families. Thousands of families are killed in war so why shouldn’t the ones that started the war be the first to die? It was because of their ineptitude that they would loose their families first? If these leaders knew their families would pay the price for their actions then they would try harder to avoid wars. Kill a few in the most horrific ways possible and the others, knowing the same fate will be theirs, will do much more to stop a war that will cause pain and death to their own families as well as them selves. But to do this a person needs the strength to throw away all of their morality so they can do the most horrible things imaginable.” Kllair said.
“So where do I fit in all of this circus of terror?” Adda asked.
“I’ve been going down this dark tunnel so long I don’t know where the light is Adda. I need you to be the one shinning light in all of this dark and filthy business.” Kllair said.
“I do this because I’m convinced that pure terror, when applied to the right people saves lives but the cost is also terrible. I’m loosing my perspective. I’m beginning to apply too much terror. If my targets feel there is no hope they’ll fight back. I need them to understand they can end it if they comply with my demands. I need you to keep me from going too far. You have to be my anchor.” Kllair said.
“You want me to try to keep you from doing what you do?” Adda asked.
“Yes, it’s the only way to gauge how far I’ve gone. Everything we do is in complete opposition to everything you believe.” Kllair replied.
“Let me get this straight, you want me to question everything you do? How can I work for you if I’m supposed to be fighting everything you do?” Adda said.
“Everything needs an opposite number Adda. The dark needs the light, good needs evil, and potato salad needs coleslaw. What I’m trying to say is we need each other Adda.” Kllair said trying to lighten the mood. “Besides Adda, you don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“Well Kllair I am in your debt. I could have stayed back on that planet but I agreed to do what you asked me to do so my beliefs won’t let me go back on my word.” Adda said stoically.
“Wonderful. Now we can get back to work again.” Kllair said happily.
If you have enjoyed these stories please check out my first all original book series at Amazon.com. The title is Beyond the Crystal Heaven.
Once again thank you for your support.
Last Updated (Tuesday, 10 September 2013 02:25)