Cee's mouth dropped open. "Whaaaa...?" he wheezed.
"It's your turn at the capsule. Now move on before I have to force you." Jay threatened. Suddenly he reached down into his large belt and switched on his prod.
"I'm going!" Cee squeaked. Then he dashed in the direction of the capsules.
"Cee, don't!" Kay called but Cee had disappeared into the crowd.
"It's your turn as well," Jay spoke. "Head for Capsule Four." Kay glared at Jay. "Jay, please concentrate. Do you remember me? Kay, your partner?"
"You're just another worthless slave, now get going!!" He struck the ground in front of Kay to prove his point. Kay took a step back. But as he did he felt a sense of loss in his heart. Jay was gone and now the Hook'tak are planning to do the same to him. They were turning them all against themselves. Kay thought bitterly. Suddenly, he became enraged at this sick joke the Hook'tak were playing on them. If they were all eventually going to change them for their entertainment, so be it, but Kay refused to go without a fight.
Kay turned and fled from what once was his partner. He pushed his way in the opposite direction the flow of the crowd moved. "Don't move forward, fight back!! It's a trap!" Kay shouted at them.
Suddenly he felt himself being lifted by the collar. Kay became dizzy as he saw how high he was above the heads of the throng. He realized that the arm that held him was from one of the synthoids.
The walls blurred past as the arm retracted to bring him back. Kay dropped unto the floor, at the feet of Jay, who glared at him with such a hatred Kay had thought his partner had been incapable of. The icy stare froze Kay's heart.
"Trying to create a mutiny is the worse offense any slave has made. For your punishment, you will be given 30 lashings." Jay gestured to a couple of Hook'tak assistant drivers. Kay felt a excruciating pain on his left temple as one of the assistants socked him across the forehead. Then a blow came from below the chin so forcefully, Kay thought his jawbone would snap. Suddenly a sharp kick came at this stomach, causing him to crumple unto the floor.
But the assistants were not done yet. They seized him and tore his upper clothing off. Then they stepped back.
Kay was disoriented by the attack but he could hear the hum of a prod being charged. Jay, you wouldn't...he thought somberly.
An explosion of pain came from his back. Over and over it struck, until just as he was about to pass out, the lashing stopped. Kay laid there, relieved by end of the lashings. He watched as small pools of blood formed on the floor and soaked his slack pants.
"Should we fix him up yet?" one of the guards asked Jay. Jay shook his head. "No. Not yet. Bring him to Capsule Four. Then give him excellent treatment afterwards." Kay watched as Jay left, threatening a child with his prod, and felt himself being dragged up by the assistants.
Placing him inside the capsule carefully, they stepped back. The door slid close, isolating Kay from the world.
"No," Kay whispered. Then shouted, "NO!!" as he heard the familiar hum of the Neuralizer. He banged on the door, leaving bloody smears on it. Tears ran down his face. "Let me out! Let me..." Then a bright flash, and he remembered no more.