SOS chapter 10

Disclaimer: Still not mine. If it was, the new show would not have changed animations on us.

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Sorry this is late. I write when I can right now.

Enjoy everyone!

"He fought his way through wind and rain and acid sands, and he was discouraged and turned back, for he could not know that the pain was only in his mind."

From "The Tales of Knowledge" by Korvin Parr.

Four Years Ago

Everything hurt.

Ben tried to sit up and the room spun around him. He let his head drop back onto the pillow and closed his eyes against the light. He didn`t think it had been more than a couple of hours since Vilgax had shut him back in his cell.

At first he had felt fine, or as fine as he had felt in the last two days. He had reluctantly investigated his breakfast and eaten the familiar flavoured patties. He had begun to seriously miss the food at home, but did his best to ignore it. His water had tasted of lemon again today, but the flavour had been stronger this time, and his teeth tingled slightly as he drank it as though it were very cold.

After eating, Ben had employed himself as best he could by trying to guess what the different devices that he had seen in the infirmary were used for. He had caught himself scratching his right wrist several times and noticed a slight itch beneath the skin, but had dismissed it as paranoia. The wrist didn`t look any different and he had thought that it would likely stop itching if he could only stop thinking about it.

After a while, Ben had noticed a headache poking obnoxiously behind his eyes. He had splashed some water on his face, but it hadn't seemed to help, so he had decided to lie down for a while as his head seemed to hurt more when he moved it.

He had drifted off into a fitful slumber, but it couldn't have been too much later that he woke to a pounding in his head, shivers and an aching body. His skin felt tight and tender and even the roots of his hair seemed to ache. It hurt to lie there with his side pressed into the mattress, but it hurt even more when he tried to move. So he lay there while his thoughts wandered wistfully through his head. He wished that he were home in his bed, he wished that his mom were there to look after him, and he wished that sleep would find him again.

The morning was spent productively for Vilgax.

After inspecting the bridge, the warlord sent a communication to Crito-Ah, informing the chief steward of his expected arrival time on the planet and where he planned to stay for the duration of his visit. Crito-Ah had several zones which were similar to Xentrex in climate. The plants and animals were different of course, but the environment was familiar enough to remind Vilgax of home. On this visit, he planned to stay near Conqueror's Landing, which was not only Crito-Ah's capital, but was also home to his largest residence on the planet. In addition to this, unlike the capitals of most planets Vilgax had visited, Conqueror's Landing was isolated, and the only beings who lived there were those who directly served the steward. The isolation was the most important reason Vilgax had chosen this particular residence.

Vilgax then proceeded to read the latest reports from his generals. He was not yet ready for the galaxy to see his force, and so the reports contained nothing but summaries of the recruitment and training of soldiers that had been going on subtly for a while.

For the remainder of the morning, Vilgax worked on finalizing a schedule he had drawn up for the coming days planet-side. It was always changing as he learned more about Ben and what he would need.

When he had finished as much of his work as he cared to for the time, Vilgax's thoughts turned once again to his captive. The boy was never really too far from his thoughts, so integral was he in Vilgax's plans. Though Ben's constant defiance frustrated him, Vilgax could not help admiring the courage it took to show such defiance when faced with the hopelessness of this situation, even if Ben did not fully realize his situation as of yet.

Ben had been alone for long enough, Vilgax decided. It was time to take him for another training session.

He met no one on his way to Ben's room, which was expected. He had chosen this area of the ship to house his captive because it was not currently in use, though it was still conveniently near to the med bay. The crew also had orders to stay out of this area unless necessary. Still, Vilgax was glad that the voyage would be over after tomorrow. It was important that Ben have as little contact with his crew as possible, though until they landed, some was unfortunately unavoidable.

Vilgax twisted the handle and Ben's door slid smoothly open, but there was no small, defiant human waiting for him. The warlord halted in shock at the sight that greeted him.

Ben lay on his bunk, on his side, crumpled into a little ball of misery. His legs were folded up close to his chest, his thin shoulders hunched up as though protecting his neck, and his face was etched with pain. He did not look comfortable, but as though he hurt too much to even think of moving, and though the room was still the standard temperature, and shouldn't have been cold, his small body shook uncontrollably.

Vilgax was frozen for a moment. How had this happened? Then he remembered the vaccine injection and all his tentacles lashed in sudden fury. Something must have gone wrong, and his miertoh had best hope that it was not something deadly. But first he had to get Ben to the med bay. Vilgax entered the cell.

Ben had not moved when the door had opened, but now he rallied somewhat and jerked himself into a sitting position on the bunk, though it was clear that every movement was agony.

"Don't come near me!" he gasped.

Vilgax ignored the protest and, brushing aside the shaking arms, lifted Ben into his arms. He tried to be as gentle as possible, but Ben gasped involuntarily in pain. Still, he fought for a second, struggling in Vilgax's hold, before the pain forced him to subside. The human's whole body was shaking, and the sweat stood out on his brow. He lay stiff as a board, all of his muscles tensed as though to hold the pain back. He seemed very small and fragile. Vilgax could feel the rapid beating of his heart and his ribcage rose and fell at his short, shallow breaths. He breathed shallowly, as if inhaling deeply would hurt too much. For the first time, Vilgax looked at Ben and he did not see his enemy or his prize. He saw a fragile, helpless hatchling, and he wished that there was something he could do to ease the pain Ben was feeling. But that would have to wait until they reached the med bay. Until then, all he could do was try to walk smoothly.

Ben floated in a red haze of pain. Every movement, every breath hurt. He lay rigid in his enemy's hold, breath hitching in pain at every step the alien took.

For an insane moment when Vilgax had picked him up, Ben had writhed, trying to break free, but the pain was just too much and he had stopped. His head was still reeling and he felt as though he was going to be sick. He closed his eyes against the movement and tried to pretend he wasn't here, that this wasn't happening.

At last he heard the sound of a door and opened his eyes again to find the bright light of the infirmary greeting him. However, opening his eyes sent new jabs of pain flashing through his head and he clamped them shut again immediately. Vilgax spoke. His voice rumbled through Ben, jarring him and causing a fresh spasm of pain. Ben missed the words themselves, though he flinched from the anger in the rough voice. Then he was deposited on a cold metal surface with a jolt that forced a moan through his clenched teeth. He sucked in a shallow breath and tried to curl himself back into a little ball. He thought it hurt less in that position. Something touched his face and Ben snapped his eyes open again. The alien doctor had returned and was examining something, perhaps a small screen, which it was holding in its hands.

"What are you waiting for?" Vilgax demanded. His voice was surprisingly quiet, but there was such a grim threat in the words that Ben flinched again involuntarily, even though the anger wasn't directed at him. He wanted to cry, both from the pain and from his general situation, but he bit his cheek instead and looked down at the metal table under him.

"He will be alright," the doctor said. Its sweet voice was calm and soothing, seemingly unbothered by Vilgax's anger. "His body is reacting as though the vaccine is an enemy virus. It is painful but not life threatening." There was a soft clang as it placed the device it had been holding on a nearby counter. Ben heard movement and glanced up again to find that Vilgax and the doctor seemed to have moved away. The doctor said something in a soft voice that Ben couldn't catch, but Vilgax's response was clear enough.

"I will not!" Ben's captor snarled. His tentacles lashed the air as though he wished to fasten them about the other alien's throat.

At another time, Ben would have been listening intently for anything that might help him, but in his current state Vilgax's harsh voice cut through his head like a dull axe. He shifted slightly until he could press his throbbing forehead to the cool surface of the table. He was still trying to listen, but he would have missed the doctor's next words had the graceful alien's voice not been raised, for what sounded like emphasis rather than out of rage.

"You are distressing him," it said. Its voice was still calm and respectful, if slightly louder. "At the moment he is my patient, Lord, not your prisoner, and he needs to rest." There was a pregnant moment of silence, and then Vilgax's voice, quieter, but still angry.

"Inform me when he is asleep and mending," he said. "And you will explain to me how you allowed this to happen."

Ben heard him leave, but he did not look up again. Moving wasn't worth the effort right now. Something cool touched his arm and he flinched at the sensation. He sensed the doctor standing over him again.

"You will be alright," the alien said gently. "Sleep."

Ben felt as though a blanket was being drawn over his eyes. Drugs again, he supposed, though this time he was almost glad. Anything if it meant he could sleep and forget the pain for a while. His thoughts grew fuzzy and indistinct, and then vanished, and the tense muscles relaxed, and all was peaceful and dark.

Vilgax was seething. He wanted to demand an explanation of Atron at once, but he could not. He would have to wait until the Miertoh had tended to Ben. All he knew was that the explanation had better be good when he heard it if Atron did not want to be left on Crito-Ah. In the meantime, he did not want to stew by himself. He needed something to distract his mind until it was time to meet with Atron. The warlord headed to his second in command's quarters.

Vilgax was not a very social being, preferring to maintain a separation between himself others. He did not wish his subordinates to know him as anything other than their commander. It was the safest way to keep from exposing weaknesses. This was the reason he never made use of the officer lounge on the Antarasin, preferring to relax in his own quarters. The lounge was too public a room for him to let his guard down. However, Trisaara was one of the very few beings that Vilgax trusted completely. She had been one of his officers since shortly after he had left Xentrex, and sometimes they would meet over a few drinks and tell a few old war stories.

The door to her quarters was open, which meant that she was within and was not working. Trisaara was not an easy being to approach, and no crew member would be foolish enough to enter her room without permission. The warlord, however, was the exception.

Trisaara rose when her leader entered, antennae tilted quizzically to the side. The light in her room was low, but it still reflected slightly off her compound eyes, the only truly visible part of her. The rest of her body was merely a black, angled shadow floating behind the eyes. Vilgax mused that she would have looked truly nightmarish to any humans coming unexpectedly into her room.

"Welcome Warlord," she greeted. When she spoke her words sounded slightly clipped, and there was a trill just beneath the surface. Vilgax's tentacles moved in acknowledgment. He was never one for greetings.

Trisaara was a vandar; slightly over six feet in height, not counting her two sensitive antennae. Her exoskeleton appeared black under the cold ship's lighting, but shown metallic blue in sunlight. She still retained the eight limbs possessed by her crawling ancestors, though their uses had changed significantly. She walked upright on her two lower sets of limbs and used the next set to fight and manipulate devices. The uppermost set of limbs was usually tucked up under her chin, only emerging to protect her face or to manipulate something that required incredibly fine motor skills.

She touched a panel on the wall, and the light brightened slightly so that the rest of her body came into focus. Vilgax saw that she was holding a thetch (1) stalk in one of her uppermost limbs which was already partially nibbled. Noticing Vilgax's lingering anger, she placed the stalk on the table in front of her and motioned for him to join her in the relaxation alcove.

"This would be easier if you would take my advice," she observed as he settled himself.

Vilgax's tentacles made a correcting motion. "This is not about what we discussed," he said. "And I have told you that your methods would not work in this situation."

She shrugged, antenna twitching up and then down. "If you beat it enough anything will break." She looked sidelong across at him. "Nevertheless, you do not look as if you wish to begin that argument again. Will you have some coaff?" (2)

"Very well," Vilgax agreed, "but only half a container." He took the container Trisaara passed him and they drank in companionable silence.

"Do you recall the siege of Closee?" Trisaara asked after a while. "I thought we would never get inside."

"You are always a pessimist," Vilgax said. He tried to put the morning's events from his mind, at least for a little while. He would have to deal with them soon enough.

(1) Thetch is mild drug common on Vandra (Trisaara's planet). The user nibbles at the plant stalks and the drug stimulates his/her memories and brings on feelings of peace and relaxation. It is legal and is commonly used to relieve stress. It is also used at funerals to remember the deceased.

(2) Coaff is a substance similar to alcohol and enjoyed by many species.

Thanks for reading everyone!

Here we have another window into Vilgax's mind and plans. And once again, I had trouble writing it. I can write for Ben so easily, but Vilgax is just difficult. Hope it came out alright.

I also hope nobody hates me for Ben's reaction to the vaccine. As I may have mentioned before, I'm not a doctor. I chose a reaction I thought was plausible, and I hope it worked. Sorry for Ben being in so much pain this chapter. He's be a little more himself again when we see him next.

Ben got a small respite from Vilgax. I wouldn't count on Atron for too much help, however. His planet never even tried to form a resistance to Vilgax's rule.

Trisaara was a little more outlined in this chapter. Hope nobody gets bored by all the alien explanations. Her appearance was inspired by the Thranx from Alan dean Foster's "Founding of the Commonwealth" books, although this race is very different.

I thought it would be good to have someone that Vilgax could relax with. Yes he's a loner, but he still needs to have some being that he can reminisce with. Yes he's still her boss, but they know each other a little better. There is nothing romantic between them, they're just old friends. I am trying not to bore you with too many ocs, but as we are getting to know Vilgax, we also have to get to know his crew to some extent, and I makes sense to flesh out some of them. Trisaara is likely a character that we will see a little more, but she won't be overshadowing Ben or Vilgax, so no worries there.

I haven't had a lot of time to write lately, but I will be working on the next chapter. Promise!

Thanks for reading, and thanks for the wonderful reviews. Review if you like, I love to read them!