Fools Rush In by Teal

Chapter Sixteen

Jadzia was awakened suddenly out of a deep sleep. She had heard something, but couldn't recognize what it was.

"Computer, time." She ordered.

"The time is 0500 hours."

It wasn't her alarm that was certain; she wasn't due to wake up for another two hours. She sat up in bed and looked around her room. Something just wasn't right. She got up and began to walk to the living space, when her door sounded. She moved, slowly to the door, hesitant about opening it. Her voice caught in her throat as that familiar fear re-infested itself in her. "Come in." She croaked.

The door slid open, revealing a powerful looking Cardassian soldier. Gul Jorath, she would have recognized him anyplace. His image was indelibly printed in her mind now. He smiled menacingly at her and walked in her quarters, pushing past her as he did. He was visibly happy about the affect he was having on her, and began to chuckle to himself.

"Did you really think we'd just let you go?" She went white, and grabbed the wall nearest her to prevent her from passing out. He smiled at her, clearly enjoying the discomfort she was enduring. "You knew I'd come, didn't you? You wanted it, in fact. You all do. I'm like a father to you." He stepped forward and tapped her nose in a friendly manor. Jadzia knew, though, that friendliness was the last thing on his mind.

"I don't know you," she choked out.

"No? Well, I know you. I've been watching you. Sometimes very closely. On occasion, I was in the room while they questioned you." He leaned in at her, the sour smell of his breath burned in her nostrils. "Sometimes I asked you questions, too. Remember?" His eyes were level with hers now, and she could see their gray color shifting, his pupils dilating in and out, reminding her of a predator's eyes before they strike. "You'll come quietly, won't you?" He reached out and grabbed her shoulder and she screamed for help.

Jadzia jolted awake. She lay entangled in her bed clothes, dripping with sweat. Only a dream, she told herself over and over. She tried to get comfortable again, but just as she was closing her eyes, a discernable chill settled over the room. She turned to see Gul Jorath sitting by her bedside. As he leaned towards her his eyes began glowing green. She tried to move away, but the nerves in her arm sent shooting pains throughout her body. She cried out, instinctively grabbing at it.

"You see, your arm remembers me." He moved towards her and she leapt back, falling off the opposite side of the bed, striking her head against the wall. She scrambled away, pushing herself backwards into the corner. He laughed maniacally, lunging over the bed at her.

Jadzia screamed, thrusting her good arm above her head, to ward off his attack. It took several seconds for her to realize that nothing had happened. She looked around her, and was once again alone. She stood up quickly, only to fall over in the tangle of sheets. Helpless and weak from fright, she lay on the floor wondering what she should do next.

An hour later, she was able, although with great difficulty, to stand. Her body trembled despite her attempts to talk herself out of her fear. It was tangible and real and deadly. At one moment she could grasp what was happening to her and then the next be plunged into despair, afraid to move, afraid he would return. Her mind was as tangled as the sheets she had lain under.

Jadzia's head ached badly from the blow she had taken against the wall. Sitting down on the bed she cradled her head, willing the pain away. When she re-opened her eyes, though, her room had faded, and in its place had formed the too familiar walls of her prison cell. Before she could wonder what she was doing back there, her attention was drawn to a scuffle she could hear in the hall.

She crawled on all fours over to the door of her cell, her hands sifting through the filth beneath her. She lifted the food flap so she could see out. What she saw was an old man, being shoved back and forth between two guards. He appeared human, but it was too hard to tell. You really couldn't tell what race anyone was after they had been here for over three months, let alone how long the old timer had been here.

He had been tricked into attempting an escape, and they were harassing him for it. Though it was punishment for him, his captures found it pure entertainment. He was shuffled back and forth between them, confused and disorientated from previous beatings.

"I won it this time!" Laughed one guard.

"Crazy old man. Can't believe he did it AGAIN!" Yelled another. "Four times and counting!"

"Old fool! Want another try?" the third one taunted.

Jadzia shuddered from the cold, pulling her useless arm against her body for warmth. The pains that shot up and down her arm and into her back reminded her of the reality of her situation. The smells in her cell that rose up to assault her senses were reminder enough, without watching this horrid spectacle. She was about to turn away from the door when the old man landed with a thud outside it. She waited, watching him turn his head towards hers.

He reached a feeble hand up and touched the fingers that held the flap open. "No matter," he gasped, "I've tried, and I'll do it again. That's what matters, the trying." He was cut off from saying any more with a kick to his mid section.

"Shut up, crazy old man!" The fourth guard struck him again.

The old man, whom Jadzia now recognized, lifted his head up towards her. He had helped her several times after she had first arrived. He enjoyed showing her the ropes, telling her which guards not to argue with, and how to survive when they stopped feeding her. "Never give up hoping." He croaked out, through pain clinched teeth.

Jadzia wanted to help him, but before she could, she looked up to see a foot streaking down at the old man's skull with alarming aim and power. Before she could muster a cry to warn him it was over. The foot swung back again and….

Jadzia closed her eyes, trying to hide from the site, but the picture was imprinted on her brain. She wretched as her stomach twisted up, cramping over and over, causing her to fall to her knees. She vomited, over and again, as if her stomach thought it could purge the memory out. She couldn't seem to stop herself, straining and heaving even when her stomach was empty. Her head pounded, eyes ached from the pressure, and her throat burned horribly from bile. She continued on, unable to stop, unable to catch her breath, until she pitched forward loosing all consciousness.