"Come on, we're needed," Bow said running into camp, disrupting a sparring session. "The Horde is taking slaves not too far from here."
"Bow, you take Teela and Madame Razz and form a team of rebels," Glimmer ordered. "Adam, you will stay here and help plan my mother's rescue. Bow, you know to call if you need help."
Teela squelched her frustration. She hated being separated from Adam but understood that this was, in part, a test of their loyalties and commitment to the cause.
"Adam... I'll be okay," she whispered to him as she hugged him goodbye. His hold on her was tight, and she sensed his desperation and worry.
"You better be," he insisted. "You know if you need help, I'll get there as fast I can. And I mean, fast. I won't worry about exposure."
"On three," Bow mouthed to Teela, indicating when she should slip into the crowd of collaborators. Teela shuddered at the thought – collaborators. Villagers who had turned against their own people in order to avoid punishment by the Horde. So cowardly and without honor... yet she could understand that they were afraid for their lives and those of their loved ones, and sometimes fear was enough reason to act dishonorably.
On Bow's mark, she slipped out, dressed as the others in a long grey hooded garment.
"Halt. Who are you," a female voice asked imperiously. "I do not recognize you."
Teela's mind raced for a good cover story as she turned to face her interrogator. The blonde hair and blue gaze were unmistakably familiar. Adora. She was young and pretty, but her face held a stern hostility that made her less than attractive. She wore a white turtle necked undergarment beneath a red bodysuit. Her uniform wasn't all that different from the style that Teela wore and Teela suspected that the high cut legs were designed to give Adora range of motion for using her legs. Teela would be cautious about giving her an opening. She was holding a dangerous looking weapon leveled towards Teela.
Just as Teela was trying to figure out how best to answer, the Hordes-Woman reached out and jerked down her hood.
"I believe we have a rebel in our midst," the woman said tauntingly. "Don't you people ever learn? You cannot defeat us. We will transform this world into a land of prosperity and peace, despite your best efforts to foil us."
Bow gave the order to attack and rebels poured out of hiding. Many of them were not fighters, but what they lacked in skill, they made up in determination.
"One step closer, and your friend suffers for it," Adora said, aiming her blaster at Teela.
Teela decided now was a good chance to get a punch in as Adora was slightly distracted. She lifted her arm up and back into a vicious elbow strike and caught Adora in the head, forcing the other woman to drop her weapon. As soon as the weapon fell, Teela kicked it out of the way. Soon a struggle began in earnest, but before long, the robot warriors gained the upper hand.
Adora grabbed Teela and dragged her towards the cells. Bow saw this, and took an anguished step towards her. Teela yelled at him to go for help, and he hesitated, before finally realizing he was outclassed.
"Teela's been taken?"
Bow winced at the shock and pain in Adam's voice. He only hoped this news wouldn't push the other man into reactive violence. He knew that Adam was at least as strong as he was, and he didn't want to make an enemy of him.
"It got out of hand, Adam. I'm so sorry. She told me to get help."
"They'll kill her if they realize she's an offworlder," Adam fretted.
"Then let's go rescue her... unless you don't want me around."
"Bow, I'm sorry. Of course I want your help. I'm just worried. "
"Ah... she's Adora's prisoner," Bow confessed, watching Adam stiffen. Shocked blue eyes turned his way and Bow winced at Adam's bleak expression. He knew Adam was worrying what would happen if his sister killed his wife.
"Adora isn't a killer. If she can't get what she wants out of Teela, she will send her to the fright zone, but I'm thinking at least for now, she will attempt interrogation."
"By what means," Adam whispered, unable to think of Teela undergoing torture, especially at the hands of his own sister.
"I don't know. But if the woods allowed her in, she doesn't have it in her to be too brutal. Come on, Adam. Your fair lady awaits."
"Where are you from," Adora asked, waving a blaster menacingly at Teela.
"You might as well use that, " Teela answered drily. "I won't tell you anything." She regarded Adora curiously. This was her husband's lost sister. The resemblance between Adora and the rest of her family was astonishing. The eyes , especially. They regarded Teela with such malice, yet Teela couldn't find it in her to be afraid. Those were Adam's eyes.
"I don't want to have to hurt you." Adora waited breathlessly for the prisoner's response. She hated interrogation and hoped to intimidate the knowledge from her quarries. She knew if she turned this woman over to the Horde, likely they would use rougher methods – of course for the good of the general public. This woman was dangerous... but still, there was something about her... Adora didn't want to see her hurt.
"You will have to hurt me if you want me to talk," Teela said, giving her a friendly smile.
"Why don't you understand that the Horde wants to make this world a better place?"
"Slavery is not a hallmark of a better place."
"The Horde does not take slaves. Those doing hard labor are prisoners who are sentenced thusly after they have been convicted of harsh crimes against the people."
"You mean, crimes against the Horde. Some of your slaves are barely out of childhood."
"Those children lay down explosives and destroy our arms."
"Because they're trying to route out a dangerous invading force."
"Who are you and where are you from?"
Teela stopped talking, folded her arms and gave Adora a friendly smile, all the while shaking her head.
"Perhaps a night in a cold cell will change your mind. I do not wish to bring you discomfort, but I will do as I must."
Adora turned down the temperature of the prison area enough to be noticeably uncomfortable. She hated doing this, but feeling discomfort was often just enough to get prisoners to do as bid. They feared that the next step would be pain so they often gave in.
Teela watched Adora and shook her head at the odd nature of her circumstances. This was her husband's sister. The princess of Eternia. They should have grown up as friends.
"Now how about you tell me what I want to know?"
"How about you let her go?"
Adora whirled, her weapon in hand. Adam grabbed her weapon and jerked it easily out of her hand, applying enough pressure that it cracked, but not so much that it shattered.
Madame appeared from seemingly nowhere and began muttering an incantation. Before Adora could react, she collapsed under the weight of a sleep spell. Adam caught her, holding his sister in his arms for the first time in his life, and gently lowered her to the ground. He pulled the key from her belt and used it to open Teela's cage.
Teela ran into his arms and they quickly hugged.
"You're safe," he whispered low to her. "Thank the elders. I was really worried!"
"It's okay," she smiled. "It's over now... Adam, that's … that's Adora."
"I know," he said grimly looking down at her unconscious form. "Bow told me."
"Adam. We can't let this opportunity pass us up. She's our prisoner now," Bow told him, eying the other warrior carefully.
Adam's blue gaze was haunted but there was no aggression about him, and Bow relaxed his stance.
"I know. Let me carry her."
Adam crouched down to pick Adora up. It hurt his heart to take her prisoner, but he had no choice.
"She won't wake up yet, Dearie," Madame said softly as she placed a hand on his arm. "I know you don't want a fight on your hands."
He smiled gratefully at the kindly old sorceress.
"I appreciate that, Madame. "
"And we appreciate all your help," Madame smiled back.
"Adam, I love you," Teela said, putting her hand on his shoulder and giving him a light kiss. "Thank you for coming to my rescue. Adora didn't hurt me, for what it's worth. She doesn't have it in her... she's all talk."
Adam smiled, understanding that Teela was trying to make him feel better. His smile faded though as he recalled Adora's hostile demeanor. This was going to be a very long road for all of them.
