They don't ask him any questions, which is perhaps the worst part.
Maybe the shocks and the injections and the brutal hits would be easier to handle if he just knew what he was being hurt for.
"Please," he manages to slur between clenched teeth, unable to reach up and stem the blood flooding out of his nose or wipe away the tears trailing out of the corners of his eyes, but meeting the large purple alien's sinister yellow eyes regardless. "We're from a peaceful planet, you don't nee-"
The next surge of electricity is so sudden and unexpected he nearly bites clean through his tongue; he can feel blood welling up out of his mouth in the moments after it subsides and he is left dangling from his restraints, limp as a ragdoll.
A gruff voice says something in some guttural language, and the room fills with ugly laughter.
More tears tracked down his face, but he's learned his lesson; Shiro doesn't try to speak again unless spoken to first.
He stops asking himself 'why are they doing this' about halfway to his cell.
Dragged along the floor by his bound hands, head pounding miserably where he'd been struck so hard his ears were still ringing, he'd seen the briefest glimpse of the cellblocks stretching up and around the hallway they were in; he would've lost count even if his brain wasn't still pulsing against his skull.
There were countless others on this ship, being held at the mercy of their hulking captors for some reason; perhaps there was no reason, Shiro realized bitterly as he was chucked mercilessly into a barren metal room.
Perhaps all those cells were full of researchers, explorers like the Kerberos team, sent beyond their worlds to find the distant corners of the universe and discover new life, only to be rather forcibly shown that 'new' did not automatically mean 'friendly'.
If they were tormenting their other captives as much as they were Shiro, but still weren't asking anyone any questions then the only 'reason' they had was probably just for the fun of watching the prisoner scream. Perhaps this was entertainment for them; they'd certainly been amused when Shiro dared question them.
They thought it was funny when someone screamed and writhed and begged for mercy.
Shiro, for better or worse, has never been one to give in too easily to someone's cruel demands, whether they be a stranger or a commander or even his own body.
Adam always said it would get him killed one day. Hopefully, today would not be that day.
When they come back a few hours later, Shiro keeps his mouth shut. He's going to make his pain as unentertaining as possible for these sick monsters.