We are a Rainbow
Chapter Three
By: Cartman's Girl

Jozef woke with a start, one of the mirrors were moving, then it slid completely open. He snarled when he saw the shadows of Cordan's, but he was silenced by a stun ray again. He was getting used to those things, that's for sure. He was dragged from the room by the arms, and thrown into another cage full of locks and chains to attach to his slim limbs.

"Ughnmm?" he murmered, and opened his eyes. Before him stood a Cordan, dressed entierly in black leather. Yow, this ain't gonna be good. He grins, showing off his sharp teeth at Jozef. Jozef's antennae tingled, he had a feeling something bad was going to happen. Then he noticed, his antennae were being held out painfully straight, laid out in front of his head.

"Hey!" Jozef cried out, trying to pull his antenane free. The Cordan, named BillyBob, grinned evilly at the Irken's attempts. Then he held up a metal clad hand, it grasped a long pair of hot tongs. Being held by the tongs was a pure white ball, with a hole running through the middle. A highly thin hole… thin enough for an antennae to be slipped through and then have the hot ball attach itself to the anenane.

"Get ready for a wild time, kid." BillyBob grinned. He took one of Jozef's antennae in his free hand, and slid the ball onto it. It wasn't touching any antennae yet, but then it came to near the base of his spine and it touched and connected, and burned into his antennae. Jozef shut his eyes and let out a silent scream. No words could express what he was feeling now.

And it didn't stop. As one was applied, another one was slowly slid over the same antennae. Eventually, one whole antennae was decorated with the pure white balls. Four on each antennae. Then the other was done, and man, BillyBob was enjoying this. Sadistic meanie!

Finally the applications were done with, and Jozef was thrown back into the mirror room. He remained on the floor, not daring to move. Moving made it hurt. Everything made pain throb it's way down his antennae into ever inch of his body. It wasn't fair… he'd tried all this time and still he was stuck here. Maybe it'd be best to give in for now… let them think they've won…

~*~

Having one's soul broken is a feeling even words can't express. Everything I had hoped to happen didn't… I was doomed to remain in the Cordans' grip of power until my dying day… so I might as well have accepted it.

~*~

The mirrored door slowly slid open, and Jozef moved away from the door to the corner of the room. He was cowering. Dear Slark what has he lowered himself to. A Cordan guard looked in, smirking cruelly as he saw the state of him. Jozef's antennae were still painful, he had dried blood on his back and scars and bruises.

"Oh your feet, you're about to be evaluated. NOW." Snapped the guard. Jozef quickly got to his feet, his height towering over the short Cordan that came up to his chest. "Right." Soon the tall Irken was being was being led through a long corridor. More metal, more dim light. Another door slammed open and he was shoved into the room. He tripped, slamming into the floor.

"Ow…" he moaned. He sat up on his knees, then blinked as he realised there was 3 Cordan's in the room. Not including guards with lasers.

"You have a name?" Warner, the oldest Cordan present asked. Jozef choked slightly, and rubbed at his eyes.

"J-Jozef…" he replied quietly.

"Speak up!" snapped the Signa.

"Jozef!" Jozef cried, before leaning back.

"Ah yes… the troubled reject." Said Warner, tapping his finger tips together. "We've heard all about you. Attacking guards, cleaners, General's… but you seem tamer now."

"Think he's ready?" asked Mollusc, the third Cordan.

"Whoever dares buy him can deal with him." Said Warner.

"They can clearly see the white balls; they know what they're buying."

~*~

They had 'tamed' me, as they so put it… stripped me of my feeling of freedom, my love of life… fools. Nothing they could do would take my love of living away from me. I wanted a better world for myself and I'd go through Heaven and Hell itself to get it…

How did I know I HAD to go through Heaven and Hell…?

~*~

"Ew he's so SKINNY." A little girl Cordan made a face as she saw Jozef. He'd been taken to the local trading arena where slaves were traded, sold, bought, and sometimes killed. Jozef barely flinched as children threw bits of food at him, even if he could do something he wouldn't. They were children. Not their fault their parents had raised them wrong.

He tugged at the chains on his legs and arms. The other Irken's in the arena were free to walk around, but due to his white ball classification he had to remain immobile all throughout the ordeal. Hanging his head, Jozef ignored the burning sensation of thousands of eyes glaring at him, criticizing him…

"My IS a big one." Said a deep voice. The voice made Jozef lift his head, searching for the owner of the voice.

"Are you interested sir? I should warn you he is partly insane and a reject." Replied a shorter Cordan who was one of the sellers present.

"I can see that fool! Not every Irken has 8 white balls to his antennae! He's tall. That's important. Tall means stronger, stronger means better. I'll take him." Replied a big Cordan. He was rather big, and obviously rich by the looks of his robes.

"Very well sir... this way…"

~*~

Being a slave wasn't my life's dream, believe me… but my master wasn't as bad as the other Cordan's I'd met. Oddly enough he was very kind to me; maybe due to my height and muscular strength… course the other slaves he owned hated me. It was to be expected.

~*~

"Jozef!" the voice rang out from down the hallway. Jozef lifted his head, propping his mop up against the wall and hurried down the hallway and came to a halt by the door, where his master Mr. Beja was stood.

"Jozef my boy, we're getting in a new slave today. Show her the ropes won't you?" Mr. Beja asked, hands on his jacket's pockets.

"Sir yes sir." Jozef nodded.

"That's my boy." Mr. Beja then walked out the door, opened by Jozef, to collect the new recruit. Jozef stood at the door, blinking suddenly. A girl? Mr. Beja had only owned male slaves; since they were stronger… maybe this one was to be a maid to bring him meals?

"Here she is." Mr. Beja re-entered, followed by the female. Oh. The whole world stopped turning for Jozef in that instant. She was beautiful. Long flowing antennae, beautiful pink eyes and she wore a simple white dress.

"Jozef, this is Queenie. Queenie, Jozef." Mr. Beja gestured to her. Queenie narrowed her eyes at the tall Irken male,

"Charmed." She said, but by the tone of her voice she didn't mean it. But Jozef was never the smart chap, remember. He took that as she actually was charmed.

"Queenie, Jozef is to show you around for today." Mr. Beja told the girl, and then walked off to head to work. Jozef shut the door behind him, turning to the girl.

"Well... um… right! Show you… the ropes… wait, what ropes?" Jozef blinked, and Queenie just gave him a sceptical look.

~*~

Oh, Queenie… my beloved Queenie… she was so beautiful, so wonderful… being with her made me so happy, so giddy… no one had ever made me feel like this before…

~*~

"You IDIOT! You're meant to rinse THEN lather!" Queenie was exasperated. Jozef had offered to help her wash out the dishes; both with specialised gloves on. Too bad Jozef had never been a kitchen Irken.

"Oh, OH right!" he grinned, nodding. Gosh, she was so helpful to point out what he was doing wrong then point out the right way to go about it.

"Sheesh." She muttered, going back to drying and putting away. "I hope this is over soon, I have a book I want to read." Jozef stopped, looking at her with one antennae rising slowly.

"Read?" he asked.

"…you don't know what reading is?" Queenie asked, almost dropping a plate. Jozef shook his head,

"No, what is it?" he asked, eager to learn something new. Queenie muttered under her breath about being with a stupid lout.

"Words that stay forever. You learn to read them, meaning to speak out what it says. I know how to read because my last mistress sought it important for us to know. I guess YOU never learnt." She put some dishes away, before glaring at him. "Get back to washing."

"Sorry, sorry." He went back to washing the dishes out, "So… reading are words that you speak but is also… there?"

"Written." Queenie said. He paused, finishing the washing and stacking them up. He looked at her, smiling slightly.

"Could you teach me to read?" he asked. Queenie stared at him blankly. Well. Least it'd give her something else to do that involved reading, even if it was teaching this pathetic Irken.

"Yeah, sure, sure." She waved a hand. Queenie screamed, since Jozef had suddenly thrown his arms around her and lifted her up off the floor happily. Well he WAS taller then her remember.

"Oh THANK you!"

~*~

Queenie made my life more worth living… she taught me reading, numbers, writing… everything. Sure took me over a couple years to learn it ALL but she tried. And while all this was happening I was becoming a fast favourite of Mr. Beja. He even began teaching me about Cordan's history and their way of life. He said it'd be important if I was sold to anyone else… my life's plan of a free land was on hold for now.

I had much to learn.

[To be continued]