I'm gonna be starting a new fic later on today. It should be ~fun~. Not anything like the unyielding horror that was Melted Candle Wax. *shudder*

Anyway, tho, here's this to tide you over in the meantime. Be sure to leave a review and PM me with any questions~

"So… what are you really gonna do to me?" Kululu asked. The Rurlough tightened its grip on his arm and did not reply.

They led Kululu forward and then guided him down a set of stairs. Kululu nearly slipped a few times, but it was impossible for him to fall due to the Rurlough's hold on him.

It was a little bit brighter underground. Kululu's eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as he was taken further in.

They descended another staircase and Kululu found his shirt beginning to stick to him with sweat. They were nearing the planet's core, he knew, and it was starting to get very hot.

The air was filled with the sound of thousands of the beasts all clicking at once. There was a frantic feeling of eagerness to the sound. Along the walls were doorways that opened to massive chambers.

This entire place is like a hive…, thought Kululu.

Every now and then along the way a Rurlough would wander out and inspect Kululu: touch his face, examine his hands, stare piercingly into his eyes, all while clicking excitedly to the Rurlough that were guiding him forward.

It all made Kululu feel sick.

After what felt like an hour, though Kululu was sure it had probably only been less than twenty minutes, the Rurlough turned and led him into a room.

There weren't that many Rurlough in the room, considering how huge of an area it was. There were only ten counting the four that had walked in with him.

In the center of the room there was a metal table. Beside the table stood a Rurlough. As Kululu neared, the sergeant major saw that it was holding in its hand several instruments, including a scalpel and something that resembled a spoon.

"Whoa, hold on now." Kululu stopped walking. The Rurlough continued trying to pull him forward for a moment, but then it too stopped and looked around at him.

"What the hell are you trying to do to me?"

The Rurlough did not answer him. Instead, it grabbed his glasses and removed them along with his hat and headphones. It tossed them aside. Kululu felt another Rurlough come up behind him. It pulled him out of his jacket.

"Wait-"

His shirt was taken off next, then his undershirt.

"What the fuck are you doing?!"

A pair of hands clamped around his ribs and lifted him up. The sudden compression of his lungs momentarily choked Kululu.

"No… No…"

He was dropped unceremoniously onto the table. The freezing tabletop stung his skin. One of the Rurlough pushed him down on his back and held him there while one of the others strapped first his legs and then his arms to the table.

Kululu struggled against his bindings as a slurry of foul names spilled from his mouth. He froze when a cold, sticky hand grabbed onto him beneath his chin.

A sharp, searing pain exploded in his head and Kululu screamed. There was pressure and a horrible tearing sensation that caused the awful pain to suddenly escalate into almost unbearable agony.

All thoughts were eliminated from Kululu's mind as he felt cold metal digging into his head. The only thing he could do was scream.

But then suddenly he couldn't even do that. One of the Rurlough covered his mouth with its hand, cutting off his screaming.

The digging stopped, but almost immediately resumed. Except this time, the pain was accompanied by a white-hot burn. Then a gritty, scraping feeling.

Kululu couldn't think. He couldn't breathe. All the tension left his body as the world lost its color and he gratefully fell unconscious.

When Kululu came to again, his head was on fire. Almost literally. Through his panic and agony-soaked mind he registered that his head wounds were being cauterized. However, the Rurlough's hands were shaky, and couldn't perform the task neatly. Kululu felt his own warm, sticky blood dripping down his face.

Once the cauterization was complete, one of the Rurlough lifted Kululu up from the table. Kululu, terrified of what horrors were sure to follow, struggled against it. He slipped out of its arms and fell to the floor, hitting the table on his way down. He landed heavily on his left arm, but he barely noticed any pain.

After a moment, the Rurlough stooped down and scooped him up again. Kululu saw that its hands were stained with his blood.

Kululu blacked out once more. He sharply snapped conscious again at the sound of a thick metal 'thunk!'.

He looked around and saw that his wrists were being shackled to the wall above him. For some unreasonable reason, the sight filled him with irritation.

It's not like I can go anywhere either way!

Kululu felt his consciousness slipping away again.

He heard, "You are very important, Sergeant Major Kululu," followed by the sound of a heavy door slamming before he was enveloped by unconsciousness.

:I