Chapter 12

The following morning, the power reduction measures were still in effect. Norei had explained that since Spectra was lacking in resources on a planetary scale, when manufacturing production reached especially high levels there was often insufficient power for all civilian needs. At such times, the planet would experience temporary shortages of hydronium and other power resources, resulting in planet-wide power reductions for varying lengths of time. Spectrans were used to such interruptions to their daily lives, as they experienced them many times each year. The shortages would usually last at least a tennight, if not longer.

At the prison the biggest use of power, other than the manufacturing facilities, was the use of Enerwalls. By forcing the inmates to bunk together, use of the force fields was cut in half. Norei and I continued to take advantage of this time, talking into the nights on a wide variety of matters, both topics relevant to our escape plans, and more personal issues as well. I found that she was opening up to me much more than I had ever imagined, and I did my best to respond in the same manner.

Yet when we were in the presence of others (primarily at breakfast, since Gymnasium time was canceled and dinner eaten in our cells due to the power reduction) Norei was as distant as ever, although she insisted on sitting next to me at every opportunity. Was she ashamed of our conversations, or did she not entirely trust me? These were questions that I could not bring myself to ask, for fear of destroying the tentative friendship were beginning to establish.

Whatever the reason, it did not change. Life continued in this manner for five days; just long enough that I got used to the new routine. Of course, it was then that things went awry once more. One evening my cell door opened and I was instructed to step into the corridor, with Norei remaining inside. I did not look at her as I left, following the Enerwalls that directed my movements. I understood exactly where I was being taken.

The chair at my destination was the same as it had been the previous time I had visited. The memory taunted me, creating an ominous feel to the nearly empty chamber. As always, I was compelled to sit, and the metallic tentacles reached out to ensnare me the moment I was in position.

As usual, it didn't take long for Zoltar to enter.

"It's your fault!" he shouted, clearly angered even as he arrived. "If you were the Commander, the others would be lost! Your absence doesn't affect them at all! You're insignificant!" Mentally I cringed at the Spectran Leader's words. It was clear that Zoltar had suffered another defeat at G-Force's hands. Naturally I was happy that such a thing had occurred, but a small part of me wondered if the Spectran Leader was right. Did they miss me at all? Were they able to go on defeating Spectra, even though I wasn't there?

Had I been of any real use to the G-Force Team?

Angrily I pushed away these damaging thoughts. Zoltar had no idea what he was talking about. He was just mad that he had been defeated. I hoped Mark had destroyed another huge robot… two huge robots! I hoped that months and months of Zoltar's work had been destroyed.

"But you just had to take his place!" Zoltar shook his fist under my nose. It took some resolve on my part not to turn away, remembering the state I had been in leaving this room on our previous encounter. My face had fully healed, and according to Norei the swelling was completely gone, although apparently I still bore yellowish patches from the larger bruises.

"I would do anything to protect my Commander." I replied, refusing to focus on the Spectran Leader's face. Zoltar's fist swung back, and I steeled myself for impact. Yet suddenly he dropped his hand, deflated of his anger.

"You're not the Commander! I can't even treat you as you deserve!" he hissed. I could see emotions warring on his face, and the light in his eyes was not that of a sane person. I gathered that he was reluctant to kill me, yet a large part of him wanted to. I wasn't certain what was holding him back, yet I prayed that whatever it was, it would remain strong… strong enough to ensure that I survived this place.

"You're not the Commander…" Zoltar's voice took on a thoughtful tone, turning away. "You're only a female, not worthy of any consideration…" He rounded on me suddenly, and I couldn't help drawing back at the malicious expression on his face.

"I should treat you as a female." he sneered. A chill went down my spine as it suddenly occurred to me exactly what he meant. No… I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't!

Yet there was nothing I could do. If there had been, I would have done it long ago. I was immobilized in this torture device of a chair, at the mercy of a madman who hated me with a passion so strong it was nearly tangible.

"Hold!" Zoltar ordered, slamming his hands down on my head, forcing my right ear to touch the back of the chair as he turned my neck. Two more tentacles wrapped themselves around my left ear and over my forehead, preventing me from moving any further.

"Now you'll beg… just as a woman should!" he snarled, reaching toward the front of his uniform. I desperately wanted to deny what was happening, yet I found myself unable to do so much as close my eyes. Transfixed in horror, I was unable to tear my gaze from the already-stiffened peg of flesh jutting from between his thighs. This was something I had never imagined, much less planned for. It was all I could do to keep from screaming.

Yet even so, Zoltar knew that he had me. He understood that he had finally found something that would truly hurt me, in the way that he had intended all along.

"Beg." he demanded, his lips twisting cruelly. Yet I could not. I knew that no matter what I did, he was going to force himself upon me. I could not demean myself further by giving in. No. Anything he took from me would be forced, and in that sense, it wouldn't be taken at all.

Of course, ideals such as this were difficult to retain in the face of what was literally being thrust upon me. I mashed my lips together, creating a physical barrier against Zoltar's disgusting flesh as he pushed it against my mouth.

"Beg." he taunted me. "Beg, and I'll give you what you want." Unfortunately, his diseased mind had probably twisted things such that he actually thought I wanted his repulsive attentions.

Unfortunately, Zoltar wasn't so far gone that he couldn't think of a way around my reluctance. One gloved hand reached out, grabbing my nose and pressing my nostrils shut. After a few moments I was forced to open my mouth of my own accord, to gasp for air, and he took full advantage, pushing forward past my lips.

I nearly gagged as his putrid flesh entered my mouth, and the smell wasn't much better. For an instant I was frozen in terror and disgust at what was happening to me. Zoltar's mouth twisted in a display of hateful glee.

"Now we'll see what you're good for…" he taunted, moving his hateful appendage back and forth across my tongue. My gorge rose and I nearly vomited, yet somehow, I was denied even that release.

"Put more effort into it!" Zoltar hissed, yanking my hair until it felt as if he was tearing it out at the roots. Tears of pain and degradation slipped from my eyes. I had no choice. So I did the only thing I could do.

I bit down. Hard.

Blood immediately filled my mouth. Sickened by the taste, I opened my mouth, spitting out its contents in a messy burst. The gory spray hit Zoltar's uniform, some of the detritus splashing back onto my own face. The Spectran Leader howled in pain and outrage, dropping to the floor and curling into the fetal position.

Guards rushed into the room, surrounding Zoltar so that I could no longer see any part of him. I heard their exclamations of dismay and disgust, but there was also an overtone of fear. A distant part of me understood that they were uncomfortable with the nature of their leader's injury; that in some masculine way they empathized with him.

The swarm of men left the room, taking Zoltar with them.

I lay on the chair for a long time, unable to move, seemingly forgotten. Yet eventually the Enerwalls appeared, and the metallic arms of the chair retracted. Shakily I stood, following the blue pathway out of the door and into the corridor.

I had no idea where I was being taken. It was entirely possible that I was only going to my own execution. Yet I doggedly continued onward. In a way, I didn't care what happened to me now. Mark was safe. G-Force was continuing to defeat Spectra's offensives. And I had been able to fight back against the ultimate indignity that Zoltar had attempted to impose upon me.

I was barely aware of what I was doing, but suddenly I felt hands on my shoulders. I blinked blearily, realizing that I was back in my cell, Norei staring at me in alarm.

"Swan… blood…" she gasped. "It's all over you…"

"It's not mine…" I managed to whisper, sinking down to my sleeping platform, grabbing the rough sheet and wrapping it around myself. A far away, analytical part of my mind told me that I was in shock, and instinctively I attempted to combat this situation.

"Whose is it?" Norei asked. She was wiping at my face with a clean sanitary pad, mopping up a surprising amount of gore.

"Zoltar…" The word slipped out of my mouth, and I stared blankly at Norei, not quite comprehending what she was doing. I felt a bit of cool water on my face, and her fingers wiping at my cheeks and chin.

"You're here." Norei kept repeating. "It must be okay, because you're here…"

"Prisoner Norei, step into the corridor."

The door was open, and I could see the blue light of the Enerwalls beyond the confines of my cell.

"Don't leave me…" I whispered. Suddenly, I needed the humanoid contact.

"You are strong. Be strong." Norei urged. I reached out for her, yet she was moving away.

The cell door closed, but the blue light remained. I saw the Enerwalls closing in on me from all sides, including the ceiling. Recalling the time when Zoltar had nearly crushed my entire body in such a manner I panicked, scrambling backwards like a frightened crab, until I was backed up on the floor, in the corner with the drain and sink. The walls stopped a short distance away from me, leaving me encased within a small cube, approximately one and a half meters on each side. The room went dark.

I was truly alone.