Not all pain is physical
"...and then I woke up on the barge. Everything else has been documented."
Ai finished her report and sat back in her chair, eyeing the two mismatched beings in front of her. She had disarmed, taken off her armor, managed to get Valere to un-cling, calmed Chimera squad down when they realized their base had been infiltrated, managed to get everyone away from a room she knew could be secured and then given her report. Now? She could do nothing but pray she survived the next ten minutes.
"You expect us to believe any of this?" Jack demanded from his spot by the door. Aroa hadn't moved after she had slithered in and taken up station by the one way mirror that sided the interrogation room At least they hadn't turned the light back on that would have shined in Ai's face.
"No." Ai replied evenly. Neither of the nestmates moved and Ai shrugged, just a little. "I gave you what information I have. You will make up your own minds. There is no way you can trust me." She slumped a little. "Just, if you do shoot me? Don't make Valere watch and for God's sake! Keep Alley secure!"
"Jack." Aroa spoke up for the first time and Jack stared at his nestmate who nodded to the door.
"Aroa! No!" Jack pleaded and Ai felt her heart start to race. Then she calmed. She had no power over this situation. Not a feeling the Nightstalker was used to and not one she liked.
"Jack, you are angry. You need to calm down." Aroa said softly. Jack shook his head savagely and Aroa shook hers once. "Jack. Go."
"I…" Jack glared at Ai and then bowed his head. "I will be outside."
"Make sure Valere stays away and make sure the cameras are off!" Ai said flatly and both of the nestmates stilled. "I know what Aroa does. I know what it costs her and I will not resist." That was an oath and both of the odd pair stared as Ai slid out of her chair to lie on the floor, spreading her arms and legs wide.
"You… know…" Jack seemed stunned. "How? That is not possible! No one knows that! No one!" His SMG came up, but Aroa was there, blocking his shot!
"No one should." Aroa said flatly. "But she does. Jack. Go." That was not a request. It was a command. It was clear he wanted to disobey. To stay and help his nestmate, but it was also clear that Aroa was not going to be be denied.
Jack glowered at Ai one last time, then he moved to the door and gone. For her part, Ai was trying to calm her racing heart. She had heard so many stories about the nest. Alley's nest. Humans who had been captured during the Elder's invasion and turned into unwitting carriers for weapons of mass destruction. Jack, Mark, Marina, Cable, Karina and Rachel. Six humans who survived out of the fifty who had been partnered with Vipers after the Elders were done modifying them. Growing with them. Learning with them. Dying with them. Just the stories made Ai so mad at the sheer injustice that had been done, and here two of them were. Two of the scariest of the very scary group. Jack and Aroa were stealth specialists, just like the Nightstalkers. Ai and her sisters had revered the nest as ideals for their own war. Quiet professionals who always got the job done. Period.
And now? Their job was Ai.
Ai finished calming herself and then reached for her belt. From what she had been told, Aroa needed physical access to do her interrogations and Ai would not resist. She could not. Alley's life was in danger and Ai was sworn to defend the Matron. The nest were legends to Cobra and she had to help them! She stilled as thin hands grasped hers. Stopping her from undoing her belt.
"No." Aroa said softly.
"Aroa, I know you have to corroborate my story." Ai was very quiet. "I know it hurts you and I will make it as easy for you as I can."
"What did they tell you?" Aroa asked, her tone somewhat bemused.
"Very little. Just that it is unstoppable and it hurts you every time." Ai said sadly. "I don't want to hurt you!"
"You won't. It is my own power that hurts me. Not the sessions." Aroa reassured her. "You are an odd one, Ai." Aroa mused. "Most people are open books to me. But you… It is like you were meant for me to read. I know everything you said was true, even if my mind is saying it can not possibly be." She trailed off and then hissed softly as something started to sweep across Ai's entire body. A feeling the Nightstalker knew. One she feared more than anything else. More than death or dishonor. An ultrasonic vibration that seeped into her very bones. Soft, soothing, unstoppable. [Can you understand me?]
[Oh god!] Ai stammered and then, to her horror, she started to cry. [NO! They didn't do that to you! Did they?] She begged in a language that had no comparison to anything human. A language Ai and her sisters had learned first as a secret to have for themselves and then as a silent means of conversation in the field where errant sound often meant death. The nest's secret language among themselves.
[Easy.] Aroa crooned as warm coils settled next to Ai. [How old are you, Ai?]
[I… Six.] Ai tried to focus past her fear, past her rage at what had been done to the nest, past her own horror filled life, but it was no use, she could do nothing but cry.
[They hurt you.] Aroa's voice was so soft, so gentle as thin hands rubbed Ai's scalp. Soothing her as the ultrasonics swept deeper and deeper into Ai's body. Vibrating. [Why?]
[Resist… escape… evade… Then… Missions!] Ai managed through the bliss that was seeping through her. [I… Aroa… save Alley!] She begged and then, she knew no more.
A short time later
Ai woke up with a gasp, but she couldn't have been out long. Aroa still lay beside her, a damp towel in the Viper's hands as she cleaned tears off Ai's face. Ai stared up at deep reptilian eyes that held measureless sorrow.
"I stopped as soon as you lost consciousness. They did it to you." Aroa said slowly and Ai managed a nod. "How often?" Ai tried to answer and her jaw wouldn't move! Aroa sighed and then scrubbed gently some more. "Easy. Don't struggle. Let it come at its own pace. You will recover fast, but it hurts. Deep inside." Ai tried another nod and Aroa smiled, just a little. "Good girl. So, even after training, they did it to you. From what I feel in you, they did it a lot."
"Every mission." Ai managed. Aroa stilled and Ai continued. "They had… to be sure… So… every mission had a 'special' debriefing. Every time."
"Oh my god!" Aroa was horrified. She understood exactly how bad that was."Oh, girl. Why?"
"You know what psionics can do." Ai worked to keep her tone calm. From how Aroa stiffened, she didn't manage, but the Nightstalker tried. "We were fighting an enemy that could literally take control of any of us. Rip information right out of our minds or turn us into puppets. It was bad, but needed. The enemy tried to get agents inside every so often. We had to remain secure. We did."
"Girl, you are hurt. Deep inside. Your mind is bleeding." Aroa said with a half snarl.
"I was dying." Ai corrected the Viper grimly and Aroa went still. "I am probably dying now too. I am a clone, Aroa. I was made for one thing. To fight and die if needed to defend humanity. We all knew the war or our precautions would kill us eventually. No one covered it up or lied about it. No one was happy about it. Some of my sisters wanted to see if there was another way and I volunteered to try. It was odd, but the docs were hopeful. Then, the last mission came up. The Cult were going after a daycare. We had to act." She slumped. "I am just glad they didn't get hold of me. What they do to females is unspeakable."
"I believe you, Ai." Aroa was not looking at her now. "I mean, it is utterly unbelievable, but you have not lied to me. You cannot, can you?"
"No." Ai said flatly. "I cannot lie to my superiors, which you and your nest were designated as. We never planned for this. It was simply to honor your sacrifices for each other and for humanity. What I am is horrible. What I did was needed, but wrong. What I could do if I go nuts or get turned by the enemy is so much worse. They, we, could not take the chance, Aroa. You cannot take the chance." Ai took several deep breath and relaxed as much as she could. "Do it."
"Ai, if I do delve into your mind the way I do, it will hurt you. Badly." Aroa protested. "I cannot change what I do. The Elders made me this way and even Alley with all her power cannot change me."
"I know and I accept it." Ai sank back onto the floor from where Aroa had held her up to clean her face. "You do what the Mindbenders do. They tried not to hurt me. Us. But they did. Every time hurt them to do it and it will hurt you too. I do not want to hurt you."
"The nest will not take my word, Ai." Aroa was very quiet now as the vibrations started again, this time lower on Ai's body. She tried not to resist the heavenly feelings that swept through her as she felt her clothing loosen. "I am sorry. I will be as quick as I can."
"Do it right." Ai begged through the bliss that swamped her mind as the first mind numbing explosion swept through her. Orgasms had that effect. "I don't think... I can... do this... more... than once."
She…
It…
Her voice was speaking, but all she felt was the vibrating pleasure as it eclipsed everything else in her mind.
Still later
"What the hell did you do to her?"
Terminal's furious voice broke Ai back to a groggy consciousness. Aroa was crying! Ai was still on the floor and she was wrung out. Every muscle felt like goo. She felt funky. Yep, just like all the other sessions.
"Terminal!" Ai managed to gasp out.
"Ai!" A hand found Ai's and another was on her brow. "Easy! It is okay. You will be okay!"
"Not! Her! Fault!" Ai managed to groan those words out and Terminal gasped. "Don't yell at her! She did what she had to! No more."
"What did she do to you?" The medic demanded. Ai opened her eyes to see Terminal right above her, face intent, scared and furious. The bright lights gave AI a headache and she could not bite back a groan.
"Do not ask that that!" Ai snapped with all of the effect of a miniature poodle trying to intimidate a Great Dane. It didn't work. "You do not want to know! It was needed and it hurt her! Check her, please?" She begged Terminal who did not remove her hands. Ai had to close her eyes though. They hurt. "Terminal! Please!"
"I am intact, Ai." Aroa said softly, almost bemused. She had stopped crying. "It does not hurt as bad as I expected."
"What?" Terminal, confusion rising to match her rage.
"What I do and how I do it is classified." Aroa said something in a language that Ai did not know and Terminal gasped.
"How do you know my real name?" Terminal snapped. Her hands vanished off Ai and Ai knew they were hovering over her holster and her com.
"Terminal, no!" Ai begged as she tried to avert the violence about to happen close at hand. "Alley's nest do secrets like no one else in existence! Terminal, please! Do not provoke her."
"She is doing her job. I won't hurt her, niece." Aroa said quietly and everything seemed to stop. Then, the sense of impending violence faded.
"What did you call her?" Terminal's hands were back on Ai, checking vitals.
"She told me everything with no way to lie." Aroa was still quiet. "As unbelievable as it may be, she is the daughter of my sister. That makes her my niece. Jack will be hard to convince, but I can make him and the others see reason."
"Don't use a clue by four." Ai managed to quip and Terminal gasped, but Aroa chuckled.
"No promises." Aroa muttered and then spoke louder. "She is not physically hurt, medic Terminal. Just weak. She will recover quickly. What I did hurt both of us on a deep mental level, but I had to do that or the nest would kill her. She knows far too much about far too much for our peace of mind. There are many things that must remain secret."
"That I can understand." Terminal said with a grunt as she eased Ai into sitting position. "But this… Ai…" Her hands were checking Ai's lower body and she gasped anew at what she found.
"Say. Nothing." Ai said fervently. "Aroa did what she had to. No more. No less. She is far more bound by her oaths than you are by yours."
"I… I see. Aroa, is it? I apologize." Terminal said quietly. "I like Ai. I consider her a hero."
"No offense was taken, medic Terminal. What I do is bad at the best of times This was worse. I think she is a hero too." Aroa said quietly and another presence shifted close to Ai who dared not open her eyes. "Your eyes will be sensitive for a while, Ai." Ai tried to nod, but her head throbbed and she cut the motion off as soon as she started. She remembered that feeling now. Her head always hurt after such sessions. "Blood flow was shifted quite a bit and your body will adjust. The headache will fade in time. Until then, even normal light will likely bother you. If you are anything like other stubborn females I know, you will be pushing yourself far too soon." Was that a joke? "Medic? Can you see that she rests?"
"I can." Terminal did something and soothing numbness swept over Ai.
"She will be a pain about staying in a bed." Aroa warned. "I know her type all too well."
"Me too." Terminal's tone spoke volumes. "I will get help to shift her to a bed."
"Comfortable here." Ai pleaded. She didn't want to move. Certainly not be seen like this by the whole team!
"Do I need to sedate you?" Terminal demanded but it was mocking.
"You might want to." Aroa was chuckling, but then she spoke into Ai's ear. [Be well, daughter of my sister. We will be watching.]
Something light and fast touched Ai's lips. Had Aroa just kissed her? Eye cracked her eyes cautiously, but the lights had been dimmed and Aroa was gone. Terminal knelt by her side, the medic's face a study of conflicting emotions. The Gremlin that hovered nearby was flitting back and forth as it scanned Ai.
"That was seriously creepy!" Terminal complaine as she worked.
"It is not her fault, Terminal." Ai said weakly. "She had to do that and it did hurt her."
"I don't have to like it!" Terminal said as a damp towel swept over Ai, cleaning sore spots and wiping off gunk. "Why?" She begged. "You could have fought, run, something! Why did you let them do that?"
"They are not enemies. We do not want them to be enemies." Ai said with a grunt as she shifted a little, but that was all she could manage as weak as she was. "Terminal, as bad as what Chimera has to do is, they have a worse job. They do really bad things in really bad places. They do not trust. They cannot. This was the only way to keep them from killing me. I have my mission and I cannot fight them. They won't kill me now and they will help."
"How can you be so sure?" Terminal demanded. "I commed Godmother. She is on her way. She will flip, seeing you like this."
"Alley's nest are many things, Terminal, but they are not evil. In the past, they have done evil and they try not to now." Ai said as she tried to push up from the ground and a rock hard hand held her down easily. Ai cracked her eyes and found Godmother glaring at her. "Godmother. They had to interrogate me. They did. End of story."
"Ai…" Godmother growled something in French that was likely foul. Then she snorted. "It will always be something with you, won't it?"
"Probably." Ai quirked a grin as Terminal crowded into her vision as well.
"All right, Terminal." Godmother heaved a sigh as two sets of hands eased underneath Ai and lifted her easily. "Yes, this is a mess and yes, I will help clean it up. Let's get her to her bed before Torque, Zephyr or Valere find out exactly what happened in here."
"Tell me she didn't see!" Ai all but begged. "Don't… Don't let her see!" Some things simply were not for the young to see. Even one who had seen as many horrors as Valere had.
"She knows the basics, Ai." Godmother said softly and Ai felt fear and rage blossom as one. "None of us told her. The Lady did." At that, Ai felt her emotions freeze and Godmother nodded. "They both are waiting for you in your room and they both want to talk to you."
"I… I see." Ai swallowed hard and tried not to struggle as she was carried through the hall. "I am sorry. I didn't plan any of this."
"I don't know what they want, Ai." Godmother said as they turned a corner carefully. "What I do know? You are off shift for the next eight hours."
"But, we had that training run-" Ai broke off as Godmother glowered at her.
"Off shift. That is not from me, that is from the Director!" Godmother said flatly. "Do I need to get Terminal to sedate you?"
"No. I will obey." Ai said weakly and shut her eyes.
More motion was felt, the a horrified gasp sounded even as Ai was laid down on a hard surface.
"What did they do to her?" Valere did not 'quite' shriek that as small hands touched Ai carefully.
"She is not hurt physically, Valere, just weak." Terminal offered as a sheet covered Ai. "She needs rest. Do not stress her too badly."
"I… Okay." For all of her faults, Valere knew when not to argue. The door closed and Ai just lay quiet. "Ai… Are you… I mean… What do I do?" The girl begged.
"It doesn't hurt, Valere. It just… She had to do it. I am okay."
"No, you are not." That wasn't Valere! "Do not lie to her, Nightstalker!"
Ai managed to crack her eyes and the lights were dim, but a yellow form hovered in mid air next to Valere's ashen face in Ai's view. The Ethereal commonly called 'Lady' was not happy.