Part Three
With a groan Harper opened his eyes and screwed them shut again at the bright lights.
"Get up Kludge" A voice shouted and someone punched him in the ribs. Biting back any cry of pain he opened his eyes and glancing around his surroundings. His arms were chained at the wrists and pulled above his head. Lane knelt in front of him.
"Have a nice nap?" He asked sarcastically
"Peachy" Harper muttered "Where are you taking me?"
He didn't notice the backhand until he found is head reeling
"Kludges don't ask questions" Lane snapped
"I'm not a kludge" Harper retaliated sharply.
Another backhand was sent this way but this time Harper anticipated the move and moved with the blow.
"You will not answer me back human. You are nothing, not even dirt. Nothing but a mudfoot." Lane shouted leaning close to Harper's face. Harper closed his eyes, the words bringing back memories.
FLASHBACK
"Get on your feet mutt" The Neitzschen, shouted pulling the ten-year-old boy to his feet. The boy balanced wearily before he was hit back down to floor.
"If you answer us back any more you little shit you won't see the next dawn"
A kick in the stomach and the backs of the legs and the boy was left in a pile on the floor.
He was a kludge. A kludge. A nothing. A piece of dirt on the Neitzschen boots. He had been told so every day. How long before he started to believe he was nothing but a mudfoot.
Another figure moved in the darkness and the child held his breath expecting more Neitzschen's. The figure bent down and swift fingers moved across his ribs.
Seamus stirred under the pain from his ribs. He cracked open an eye, taking in the figure beside him.
"Brendan?"
His cousin flashed him a reassuring smile though it didn't reach his eyes.
"Just stay with me Shany okay? Where going home. Stay with me"
Seamus nodded faintly remembering the Neitzschen's words.
How long before they started to believe?
END OF FLASHBACK
Harper pushed the memory back to the depths of his mind. He had to focus on the here and now if he wanted to survive. Beka would have got the message and would come and find him, he just had to wait.
Lane had finished yelling but he grabbed Harper's chin, forcing the engineer to look up at him.
"Do we understand each other human?" Lane asked.
Harper forced himself to bite back any sarcastic comments and instead he lowered his eyes, staring at the floor. He had to act weak even if his insides were burning with rage.
He knew how to play the game.
"Yes sir" He whispered not raising his eye line.
"Good" Lane said standing, ruffling Harper's hair as he did so. "Just make sure you remember it"
He left and Harper managed a sigh of relief as his ribs began to throb with the pain. He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach about where they would be taking him.
With a groan Harper opened his eyes and screwed them shut again at the bright lights.
"Get up Kludge" A voice shouted and someone punched him in the ribs. Biting back any cry of pain he opened his eyes and glancing around his surroundings. His arms were chained at the wrists and pulled above his head. Lane knelt in front of him.
"Have a nice nap?" He asked sarcastically
"Peachy" Harper muttered "Where are you taking me?"
He didn't notice the backhand until he found is head reeling
"Kludges don't ask questions" Lane snapped
"I'm not a kludge" Harper retaliated sharply.
Another backhand was sent this way but this time Harper anticipated the move and moved with the blow.
"You will not answer me back human. You are nothing, not even dirt. Nothing but a mudfoot." Lane shouted leaning close to Harper's face. Harper closed his eyes, the words bringing back memories.
FLASHBACK
"Get on your feet mutt" The Neitzschen, shouted pulling the ten-year-old boy to his feet. The boy balanced wearily before he was hit back down to floor.
"If you answer us back any more you little shit you won't see the next dawn"
A kick in the stomach and the backs of the legs and the boy was left in a pile on the floor.
He was a kludge. A kludge. A nothing. A piece of dirt on the Neitzschen boots. He had been told so every day. How long before he started to believe he was nothing but a mudfoot.
Another figure moved in the darkness and the child held his breath expecting more Neitzschen's. The figure bent down and swift fingers moved across his ribs.
Seamus stirred under the pain from his ribs. He cracked open an eye, taking in the figure beside him.
"Brendan?"
His cousin flashed him a reassuring smile though it didn't reach his eyes.
"Just stay with me Shany okay? Where going home. Stay with me"
Seamus nodded faintly remembering the Neitzschen's words.
How long before they started to believe?
END OF FLASHBACK
Harper pushed the memory back to the depths of his mind. He had to focus on the here and now if he wanted to survive. Beka would have got the message and would come and find him, he just had to wait.
Lane had finished yelling but he grabbed Harper's chin, forcing the engineer to look up at him.
"Do we understand each other human?" Lane asked.
Harper forced himself to bite back any sarcastic comments and instead he lowered his eyes, staring at the floor. He had to act weak even if his insides were burning with rage.
He knew how to play the game.
"Yes sir" He whispered not raising his eye line.
"Good" Lane said standing, ruffling Harper's hair as he did so. "Just make sure you remember it"
He left and Harper managed a sigh of relief as his ribs began to throb with the pain. He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach about where they would be taking him.