Nelkf's howling Sklinthi screams filled the cell. Blue intense electricity flashed from where her wrists gripped the cell's bars. Though they were losing feeling, Nelkf held on.
Jax sat calmly nearby, watching the Sklinth's hopeless protest. He shook his head, pondering how Nelkf could hold out so long under the shocking. When he had first tried that, the initial jolt threw him clear across the room. I never tried that again. My head was spinning for weeks.
He grew tired of Nelkf's howls and walked over beside her. "Nelkf, just let go of the bars. No one pays any attention to you."
Nelkf growled, but tried to release her grip. Calling on whatever strength she had left, she pried her hands away form the bars. The electricity yielded its prize reluctantly, but finally she fell back onto the floor. Her strength completely drained, she couldn't get up. How humiliating. Jax knelt beside her, completely unsure how to react.
"Why did you shock yourself so long?" he asked her. "No one would care, even if you died in here."
Nelkf's voice came in short gasping breaths. Her lungs were working strangely now, and her air supply was constantly changing. "I...was...training," she forced out. Jax seemed to have just managed to clone himself several times. What was more, they spun around like a drunken kaleidoscope. She forced herself to fight back the gag reflex. She couldn't let a Human think her weak, even Jax. She pulled herself upright and sat, ignoring the dizziness and nausea.
"You feeling better now?" Jax asked her.
She blinked several times, letting things return to normal. The multiple Jaxes melted back into one. And one Jax is enough in the Universe. She stood up, letting the dizziness come, but not letting it force her back to her knees. "More so by the minute. The Sklinthi immune system is faster and stronger then the Human's."
"Too bad their brains aren't," she caught him grumble. She had not been intended to hear the remark, but she had.
It took her instinct less then an instant to punch him hard in the jaw. Not hard enough to break it, but enough so that Jax was sent sprawling backwards. Stop! the humane part of her mind screamed, You're supposed to be friends! He isn't some jerk in a cantina or some bastard Human. He's nice! Apologize! Nelkf was just a tad relationship challenged. She didn't blush; it would make her seem weak, but that rare felt sense of guilt crept into her mind. She bit her lip and extended a hand to help him up. "Er, sorry. Sometimes I just don't think before I strike."
Jax blinked, looking at her in disbelief. A fist mark was beginning to show on his cheek. "I'll say! Sith, with a fist like that, who needs a vibroknife?"
She frowned. "Well, you deserved it!" she snarled. She pouted a moment before coming to and obviously awkward decision. "No hard feelings?"
Jax smiled and laughed. "None whatsoever," Nelkf was surprised to discover herself finding his smile somewhat attractive. What's up with you Karlian? Snap out of it! "That reminds me," continued Jax, "Why did you try to make yourself into a well done rancor dinner?"
"I told you, training," Nelkf hated repeating herself.
"For interrogation?" Jax shook his head, "Nelkf, it's like I told you. If this were an ordinary prison, sure, your 'training' might work, but this is a lab. You can get a good idea of what they'll throw at you, but you can't prepare for it."
"Maybe not flyboy," Nelkf turned to the electrically charged bars again. "But Necho see me, I sure will try," With a final sniff, she threw herself against the bars, sending shock pulsating through every nerve in her body.
Jax sighed heavily and sat down to watch her again.
Jax never knew, and Nelkf never could have guessed that they were being watched every second. Rakson stood idly beside the one-way glass, watching the foolish alien shock herself into a stupor. Her spirit was admirable, but he would have guessed her to be more intelligent.
All around him stood the twisted Imperil chemical scientists. Rakson hated them and despised being in their presence. Science was a wasteful thing. He could be using what small amounts of credits given to the research to invest secretly in more operations. Like his men on Tatooine. No one knew about them, but they would jump at his very word. Yes, he could do more useful things with that money rather then letting them toy with chemistry set.
He glanced over to see how they were taking this in. The fight between the prisoners, the constant shocking the Sklinth brought upon herself, all were viewed as purely instinctive actions. At least Rakson agreed with them there. The Rebels, the smugglers, the aliens, were animals. Apes at best. No room for rational thought. Good for laboratory experiments, nothing more.
The interrogation of the Rebel pilot might take place sooner then he had expected. At the rate she was weakening herself, Rakson may as well meet her now. He turned to one of the stormtroopers flanking the door. "You, bring me that prisoner. I wish to greet her before I break her."
The stormtrooper saluted and moved off. The Rebel would soon pay for the deaths she had caused.
