Chapter 53 (Zack Allen)
Zack always knew the Minbari was playing with his mind; it was a common assault in any warfare. But this line of assault was more powerful and damning than anything he had yet to imagine. How she knew about his desire to have children was beyond him. He could almost kill the woman for what she had done.
Damn that bitch, using that as an excuse to stop me from raping her.
There were many reasons he wanted to keep the woman. First she was the only Minbari he penetrated sexually and he was developing some deep-rooted emotions for the girl. But who was he kidding. Would a rape victim fall in love with her attacker?
That was one of the many questions that rattled around in his mind. It was only recently he began to notice changes in her behaviour. Perhaps she was beginning to like his touch, albeit, she would never confess. Perhaps she liked the human interaction?
Zack shock his head. He did not know where that line of questioning came from but it had to stop. At the moment the Minbari called Shaal was being transferred to the holding cells back on the main complex populated by a skeleton crew. He wanted to keep the prisoners for leverage in case their fellow Minbari came looking for them. But his second and more important reason was he could use Shaal as a tool so he could use Delenn when he was desperate to rape some more.
But he could not get those words out of her mind. The begging, the pleading.
When he got back to his office he found a report waiting for him. It was about Shaal collapsing again in the holding cell the two Minbari were occupying. The doctor stated that her body was going through a change and a strange substance was being produced in her blood. Perhaps he had given her a sexually transmitted disease of some kind. Maybe he had picked something up from the Narn female he'd slept with months ago that had mutated in his body. He felt fine, but his compassion for the Minbari was long gone. The words she said scarred him for life.
How could she do that to me?"
He did plan on venting her into space once he'd finished playing with her friend. But at the moment, he did not want anything to do with them.
It was four thirty in the afternoon and Zack was finishing up some status reports when he had an unexpected visit from Elvis.
Elvis strolled in and looked at the assortment of monitors that littered Zack's office. Zack wondered what he wanted, perhaps it was something to do with Garibaldi, but he kept quiet and waited for him to speak.
Elvis appeared normal for a man of his age, still in an immaculate suit with a green tie today no less. Why anyone would want to dress like that was beyond him, but Zack was the commander of the complex and not a stylist. But Zack was only looking for things to occupy his mind in the deadly silence.
"Did the Vanguards offer the data crystal yet?" Elvis began. Zack felt relieved the silent treatment was now over.
"No, they're still claming that it will seriously damage their honour if they do that. The only way for them to hand over the data crystal is if Garibaldi cancels the contract, which I am sure he'll not do…Sir." Zack said shuffled papers this way and that, making himself look as busy as possible. It often worked, but not today.
"I see. And what about the two Minbari prisoners. Have you gotten anything out of them?"
Zack looked into his eyes. He finally knew what Elvis was about to say, it was in his body language. Pity, Zack had really wanted to work on Delenn next.
"No, nothing at the moment. I still think it's-"
Elvis cut him of with a wave of his muscular hand, that same hand he used to hold down many of his victims. "I'm not interested in excuses. If they won't give us any information, I want them vented into space. They're spooking the workforce. You had your fun, I think it's time we let them go."
Zack could almost see Elvis's point of view. The two Minbari had been posing a little bit of a problem for the local workforce. Some of the workers had strong religious beliefs that they were demons sent to corrupt the facility and bestow bad luck on the cities. They had already come in their huge cruiser and killed over thirty people. Something had to be done. But Zack really wanted to have his fun.
"But sir, if I could only have a few more weeks with them, I have-"
"I know what you've been doing to them Zack. I gave you plenty of time to for fill your sexual lust. If you've neglected to rape both of them that's your own fault. Now I want those two gone today. Do I make myself clear?"
Zack gazed down at his notes and fiddled with an electronic marker. He stared deep into his own soul, considering the damage Shaal caused. Sure she was an attractive Minbari to molest and Delenn was second best, but the words Shaal had said could not be forgiven. She'd fooled him, hurt him and would have given him false hope if he had been gullible enough to believe her story. He looked defiantly back at Elvis in agreement.
"No problem, I'll have them at the airlock right now. Would you like to witness the event?"
"Don't mind if I do. I always have a thing for Minbari and the vacuum of space." Elvis smiled in collaboration with Zack, who got up from his desk and made his way over to the cells.
"So, how long do you think it will take for the gas that is dissolved in their blood to explode into the vaccuum?" Zack asked, entering his key code in the holding block.
"I've seen it before. The body tends to freeze before that happens. Eyes as crystal and dead before they even know it." Elvis shrugged off a few creases in his uniform and followed Zack into the holding cells.
From his office, Zack could faintly hear his communicator beeping. He decided to ignore the call and proceed with the execution.
On the way there, Zack asked if Elvis would like to have the execution broadcast throughout the complex. To his surprise, Elvis declined, saying he didn't want to interrupt the workday and a simple announcement would do. Besides, he added with relish, he wanted this event to be his personal showing.
"Come," Elvis said as he gestured to the holding cell the two Minbari were in. "I know you had your fun, but the people come first. Let's finish this and return to our duties. You're a good man Zack, I'm glad to have you on our team."
Elvis smiled and his lily-white teeth glowed mischievously. Zack returned the smile, thinking eagerly of the possibilities that awaited him as Elvis's right-hand man.
With his access code entered into the door panel, the door clicked open and Zack walked in accompanied by Elvis. Huddled in the corner, rightly so, Shaal and Delenn clutched each other and waited for their doom. At the moment they had no idea death was imminent.
"If you've come to question us, we will tell you nothing. Minbari do not betray their own people." Delenn snapped.
Elvis cackled slightly, like an evil witch.
"No," He said. "You've come to the end of the line. You are of no use to us."
Outrageously, Shaal knelt down to her knees and begged to live. Despite it all, Zack felt a twinge of pity underneath his anger at her.
"But you can't do this. I have your baby inside me, you will kill your only child."
"If you won't tell us about your fleet's movements and defences, you are no use to us."
Elvis interjected before Zack could think. "Don't listen to her. It's a trick, these Minbari are animals. They will say anything, get into your skin and turn you against us. I bet she offered herself unconditionally if you leave her friend alone." Elvis glanced at Delenn. Although he preferred humans, the thought about trying some new meat was tempting. But it was not enough.
The deep anger slowly crept to the surface and Zack could no longer hold it back. He snapped. "I've had enough of your trickery Shaal…" He grabbed her by the scruff of her neck. "I can't get you pregnant. I've tried to have children with other people but it's impossible. I'm infertile, unable to…" Zack looked down, tears flowing from his eyes, heart wrenched from his chest.
"I don't know how you found out about my weakness, my disability, but using that excuse to delay your execution is unforgivable. I'll personally escort you to the air lock and turn the key myself."
Zack dragged Shaal out of the room and down the corridor to the hanger bay. He saw Elvis escort Delenn not far behind, but Zack was so pumped up with anger, he wanted every bump to hurt Shaal. He had never felt anger on a scale like this. He wanted to kill the bitch right now.
Partly empty due to the evacuation and the hour, Zack rushed into the hanger bay with Elvis not far behind. Shaal, bruised and maimed from being dragged along the floor, got to her feet, only to be hurled around.
"Stay on the floor!" Zack demanded. He looked around for an available airlock, found number one airlock empty and smiled.
"Meet your new home."
Together, Elvis and Zack hurled the two Minbari into the airlock and the heavy steel door closed behind with a loud thunderous din. Peeping through the view window on the door, Zack saw Shaal kneel on the floor. She had continually said he was the father, but he knew it was impossible.
"Zack, you know what to do." Elvis reminded.
"I know. That bitch has been tormenting me far too long. I can't believe what she said." Zack scowled.
"You know what these Minbari are like. They destroyed our world, killed millions of our people. Do you really think you mean anything to them? Those two would kill you where you stand, you know this."
"Do you mind if I have the key. I want to do it myself."
Elvis looked down at the large key in his hands and he extended it towards him. "Sure, You've come a long way Zack."
Several security personal rushed into the room, late.
"You're a little late, gentleman." Elvis snapped. "All of you were ordered to the holding cells five minutes ago."
"Sorry sir, we had some trouble down on maintenance. Won't happen again."
"I can guarantee it. That insubordination will cost you dearly. Now wait in the observation booth with Zack and stay there for the rest of the day. If you're lucky I might remember to return you to your family."
Just at that moment, Elvis received a call on his personal communicator. As he left the loading bay, he wished Zack luck and asked him to remember his lesson. It would have been normal for Elvis to witness the execution, but the call was urgent, and he'd seen rapid decompression before. "Return the key to me later," were his last words.
Zack looked at the deadly key with a concentrated glower. He hesitated to turn the key, thinking of all the fun he'd had with her in the past-surely that was the only reason he was hesitating? Then again, memories of her hurtful words raced through his mind. The horror of hearing her say she was pregnant with his child.
A beep on his communicator brought him back to reality, but once he saw the caller ID was from the doctor, he decided to ignore it. He knew that the doctor wanted. He wanted the Minbari for himself, for experiments.
But Zack had other ideas. She crossed the line and she didn't warrant experimentation.
He rejected the call, walked over to the small room beside the airlock and nodded to a few security personnel who were waiting inside. They said nothing as Zack walked up to the dripping damp window with algae and mildew climbing up the sides.
Huddled on the floor, Shaal and Delenn waited for their doom. Zack could only imagine the horrors going through their minds. It was only weeks ago that Elvis vented all the children and other Minbari out the airlock, now he was about to murder two females. Could he do such a thing?
Hell yeah, after stepping on that Minbari soldier and killing him on the spike back on the Minbari cruiser, he could do anything. So venting two Minbari prisoners into space should be easy. So why was he hesitant?
They system was ready, green lights all along the board. The two females cowered in the middle of the grated room and condensation dripped from all four walls, everything was ready. Zack tried to justify his actions. Why was Elvis not here to do this? Suddenly he remembered the answer, he was called away. Perhaps the reason for his hesitation rested with the fact he would have to kill two defenceless people. But he had nothing to be proud of, he had raped, mutilated and beaten Shaal, so this should be easy.
Hesitating some more, he suddenly found the answer. What if Shaal was telling the truth, what if she was pregnant with his baby?
But that was impossible. Zack thought of all the possibilities. He'd slept with hundreds of people, bribing and sometimes tricking them, he used every trick in the book to implant his seed and stood back and waited for it to grow. Nothing happened. When he checked himself out at the medical centre, they concluded that he was infertile.
Zack squeezed the key in the palm of his hand. The sharp edges cut into his skin, drawing blood. After releasing the copper object, he watched his crimson blood drip onto the control panel. Anger rushed through his body. He turned the key to the ready position. The lights changed, alarms sounded. He had only to turn the key one last time to start the countdown. He wanted the Minbari to know every second, he wanted to see them squirm, see Shaal confess her lying and ask for forgiveness.
"This is your last chance, Shaal. I know you're not pregnant, confess and I will let you both live." Zack could deal with Elvis later; he could always hide his playmates. But his anger was still there.
"Minbari do not lie. I am having your baby, why won't you listen?" Through the viewport, Zack could see tears of desperation on her face.
"I don't believe you. I can't have children; you must have fucked someone before we captured you. You…" Zack wanted to call her a filthy whore…but he decided to close the microphone and turn the key.
Red lights blinked all around, the computer's voice spoke.
Attention, outer doors primed for opening, doors will open in ten seconds. Please Stand by.
The seconds sounded like eternity. The woman's voice that counted down the seconds seemed like a soothing mother with the authority of a sergeant. This would be the last time he would see the two Minbari alive.
Suddenly, at around eight seconds, the doctor barged into the small room yelling, "Stop Zack… It's true, she's having your child!"
"WHAT!" Zack's reply was almost as earth shattering as the countdown. There were only six seconds left on the clock. Nevertheless, Zack continued. "What are you talking about? The doctors told me I was infertile."
"They said you only had a slim chance…you've done it… Oh my god!"
Zack looked towards the shatterproof glass that protected the small room the vacuum of space. Red lights washed the room's interior as alarms sounded. The din echoed everywhere.
"NO!" Zack frantically turned the key while breathing heavily. Nothing happened. The system was locked. He bashed at the control panel and finally grabbed the nearest object, a chair, and attempted to smash the glass. Security personnel inside the room caught him by the arms. "Are you crazy, sir?! If you break the glass it will kill us all!"
Zack felt his hopes and dreams shatter in a second, the moment the doctor finally gave him the auspicious news of hope he had now just destroyed, killed his own child.
He was forced to the ground by security, struggling all the way.
There must be something he could do!
The computer counted.
Damning alarms sounded, it was over.
Two…one…opening outer doors.
"NO! Shaal!" He forced his way to his feet, banging on the controls, then tore away from the console and charged out, searching desperately for an override switch.
An explosion erupted behind the bulkhead. It was all over. His only chance for a child was gone, he had killed the only person who gave him the gift of life, Zack could do nothing but wish death upon himself…Silence fell as he collapsed to his knees and cried. The computer voice spoke.
Attention, life signs detected inside airlock number one. Explosive seals activated on outer doors. Airlock permanently sealed. Maintenance personnel have been informed. This is an airlock not an execution chamber.
The inner door opened. Zack, a complete wreck, turned to the smoky airlock room. He was unable to believe his eyes. Shaal was standing there with Delenn in her arms.
They were alive.
Zack stared at them, and Delenn stared right back. In the background, the doctors were arguing. Zack struggled to his feet and the two Minbari wept before calling them all animals.
