Chapter Twenty-nine
"Do you remember me now?"
"No..."
Razor had barely heard Salen's answer. The Vulcan's voice had been reduced to vacant ghost of a whisper. Salen was just staring into the jewelry box of blood crystals as though hypnotized by them. Razor had been more than a little surprised to hear that Evans was somehow connected to Salen's past, and he couldn't even imagine how shocked Salen was.
The more Razor looked at his partner the more the word 'shock' seemed to fit, he looked almost completely shut down mentally. Thinking furiously about how to get out of the situation gracefully Razor glanced around to see what they were up against. The two guards that had been in the room had been joined by four more. They were all keeping their distance, but they were clearly ready to act at a moment's notice.
"Hmmm," Evans purred "well it was just the one meeting and you were very young. Your hair was was still black then, but you had those marks on your face. You were Wilson's pet for a long time. Part of me was amused to hear that Admiral Pike had taken you in under his wing after Wilson's untimely death. Does the Admiral know you're here?"
Salen didn't answer, he didn't even seem to hear the questions. Razor had always assumed that Salen's hair had always been white. It had never occurred to him that it had turned the ivory color because of something someone had done to him. However, seeing how much this reminder of the past was affecting him it was becoming painfully clear that he wore his scars far more than just skin deep.
"Why are you here, Salen?" Evans asked gently. "You certainly aren't looking for vengeance on me for selling your blood to the highest bidder, you don't even remember me. So what are you doing here?"
Salen paid no attention to Evans and reached in and gently touched the crystals that held all that was left of his parents. Knowing that Salen was in no mental condition to think on his feet Razor stepped up.
"My boss doesn't go by that name anymore." Razor growled angrily. "He's left that life behind, you will address him as Za'ire."
"Your boss?" Evans chuckled at Razor. "You don't really expect me to believe that the Admiral's adopted son has turned to a life of drug running, do you? I think it's far more likely that you're both Starfleet."
"Starfleet?" Razor repeated in disgust. "Fuck them and you. Come, Za'ire, you do not need to do business with these bastards."
"What's your name?"
"Razor."
"I like that. Playing the part of some sort of paid bodyguard?"
"I am not playing, face me one on one and I'll prove it to you."
"I respect a working man, you're free to go, Razor."
"What?"
"I don't need you." Evans shrugged. "My boys will give you a ride back to town."
"He comes with me."
"What do you care of the fate of this Vulcan?"
"He is my employer."
"What is he paying you? I will give you ten times as much to just walk out of here and never think of him again."
"Forget it."
"Salen's not for sale, eh?" Evans chuckled.
"I'm the one who is not for sale. Za'ire hired me in good faith."
"Such loyalty, to the point of foolishness...sounds like Starfleet brainwashing to me."
"My reputation would be ruined if I walked out of here." Razor corrected.
"I'm sure it would, but at least you'd still have your life." Evans pointed out.
"My life is not worth much if I have no way of making a livelihood."
"You are determined to deny that you are Starfleet, aren't you."
"I am not Starfleet."
"I don't believe you. I want the truth and one of you is going to give it to me."
Realizing that they were not going to talk their way of out this Razor decided that he was out of sane options. Choosing the most insane coarse of action he went to rush Evans in hopes of at least killing him before being killed himself. Razor had not counted on how quick and powerful Evans' men were. Before he'd even taken two steps he was grabbed from behind and hauled back. Three men pinned his arms behind his back, quickly securing them with a pair of ion cuffs. For good measure the third man pressed the muzzle of phaser against Razor's throat to keep him still.
The action in the room seemed to wake Salen somewhat from his trance. However it was far too little too late. Evans made a silent gesture to two of his other guards and they forced Salen to his feet. Evans reached out and made sure to carefully take the box of blood crystals away from Salen. Having the crystals taken away from him finally released the hold they'd had over Salen.
Lashing out at one of the men holding him Salen struck him in the chest hard enough to drop him to his knees coughing up bright red blood. Free of one of the men Salen quickly attacked the other. The guard tried to regain control of Salen, however he was quickly knocked out by a crushing blow to the temple. When Salen went for Evans the drug lord grabbed a dagger from the shelf and slashed at the air.
Seeing the familiar glinting flash of the knife Salen hesitated for a fatal second. Razor fought like a bear to free himself as the man holding the phaser to his throat adjusted his aim to bring Salen down. Everything happened too fast and Salen collapsed to the floor from a stunning shot before he could get to Evans and before Razor could do much of anything.
Hearing the commotion several more men had joined them in the room. Evans had one of his men check the two guards that Salen had attacked and was informed that they were both in desperate need of medical attention. Snarling at Salen in disgust Evans reached down and grabbed a handful of his white hair. When Evans lifted Salen's head up with the knife still in his hand a stab of fear lanced through Razor's heart.
"No!" Razor roared.
"Don't worry, Razor, I wouldn't spill Salen's blood on my rug...it's far too valuable."
"No one is going to pay you anything for either one of us."
"Do you know anything about your friend's past? " Evans asked seriously. "Vulcan blood fetches an unbelievably high price on the market."
"What? Why?"
"Because it's rare. People drink it as an aphrodisiac."
"That's disgusting." Razor growled.
"I agree. But I'm not above selling it."
Evans made a motion to two of his men and they picked Salen up off the floor by the shoulders. Razor closed his eyes and swore under his breath as they started to drag Salen away and jabbed him in the ribs in a physical demand that he follow. Evans lead the way to a barren room that actually turned out to be a large elevator.
Once down in the depths of the planet the elevators opened up to reveal a large scale factory. Supplying Stargazer to the entire galaxy was big business. The maze of catwalks, vats, pipes, and various machines looked a lot like the bowels of a Starship. As they were lead through the factory Razor noticed that there were two kinds of people at work: the cowering native slaves, and the imported whip masters.
Razor started to think about what it would take to trigger a revolt among the slaves. There were a quarter as many guards as slaves and it might not take much to tip the balance of power if the right motivation was provided. Before Razor could come up with a workable plan they were brought into a medium sized room that had four small cells set into the back wall that were closed off by dark blue glittering force fields. The rooms had just enough room for a small bed, a toilet and about four feet of floor space to pace.
"Solitary confinement." Evans explained. "Punishment for any of my workers who can't get along with the others. Probably not a good place to keep a Vulcan long term, but it will do for now."
"And what about me?" Razor asked with little interest. "You think you'll have me working down here like a well trained pet?"
"No." Evans shook his head. "You are go..."
Before Evans could finish his threat Salen began to wake. Groaning in pain he took a moment to open his eyes. Even with two guards standing besides him Salen caught sight of Razor before anyone else and started to get to his feet to go to him. Razor cursed himself and Beckett for allowing themselves to believe that Salen was ready for the field. He'd only been a true Dog for a week, he didn't have nearly enough training for this. Salen only got as far as his knees before Evans was on him.
"Stay down." Evan's hissed as he pressed the knife against Salen's throat. "You think Wilson used to bleed you dry? Piss me off and I'll have your palms sliced open a dozen times a day. Cooperate and I'll grant you the courtesy of using a painless hypo. Understand?"
"Yes, Sir." Salen answered in a shaky voice.
"Much better." Evans smiled. "Lets see if that mark I gave you is still there."
Razor watched helplessly as Salen began shaking in terror. Razor had seen the look in Salen's half focused eyes before in the faces the unfortunate few Dogs who had been captured and tortured. Sometimes even years after rescue something seemingly innocent would trigger them. They would suddenly drift back to dark times, and even the most caring hand often had a hard time brining them back to reality.
Evans hands were far from caring as he gripped the back of Salen's shirt and tore it open to expose his shoulders. Smiling brightly Evans traced several of the marks on Salen's right shoulder blade with the tip of the knife that he still carried. He came to one in particular and stopped.
"Ah, here it is." Evans crowed. "Wilson let me have a free sample to see if I wanted to become a regular customer. I cut it from you myself. You were just a boy then. I had expected you to cry out...but you didn't."
Salen gasped sharply as Evans sunk the knife into his skin to reopen the old wound. Trembling violently tears ran freely down Salen's cheeks as his breathing became increasingly labored. Razor felt physically sick seeing Salen cruelly reduced to the torment and frightened child he'd once been. Razor strained at the ion restraints that he wore, but could do nothing to help himself or his partner.
"Sir?" A man's voice suddenly came over the intercom.
"Yes?" Evans answered.
"Harris and Tyler are both dead."
"What?"
"The Vulcan bruised Harris's heart and he was bleeding internally, Tyler took a blow to the head so hard that the resulting brain swelling just killed him."
"It would seem that you are going to make a dangerous pet, Salen." Evans mused. "Wilson's fate was a gruesome one, and I hear even Langin met with insanity at your hand..."
"He is worth more to you alive than dead." Razor said quickly, fearing that Evans was beginning to think twice.
Razor hated to think of Salen living a life of captivity as a forced blood donor for even a day. However he also knew that alive Salen had a chance at escape. If they could both make it through the next forty hours there was also hope of rescue from Beckett and the rest. Knowing Beckett he wouldn't even wait the full time to hear from them before launching an attack. He was not one to leave a Dog behind without a fight.
"Alive he is high risk, yet high gains." Evans started placing Salen's life in business terms. "Or I could simply liquidate him with a one time high yield return on what has been a free investment and avoid any future risk."
"You sick fu..." Razor was cut off as one of the guards slammed his elbow into his ribs.
"Salen, I am going to let you decide." Evans stepped out in front of Salen and reached into his own pocket. He brought out a glass vial of bright purple liquid. "This is enough Stargazer to kill a dozen men. Drink it and your death may not be pleasant, but it will be quick and I can sell what I drain from your corpse as Stargazer laced Vulcan blood. Or you..."
Evans didn't even get a chance to give Salen the alternative before he reached up to take the vial of the potent drug. The guards reacted swiftly and snatched Salen's wrists and jerked them behind his back. Realizing that Evans wasn't just going to hand over such a dangerous weapon Salen tilted his head back and opened his mouth in an invitation to have it poured down his throat.
"Death it is." Evans shrugged. "Makes things easier for me."
"No! Damn it, Salen!" Razor roared in fury. "Don't you dare take the easy way out on me!"
"I am sorry, Razor." Salen whispered in defeat. "I...I can not return to that life. You do not understand what it is lik..."
"I understand that you're being a coward!"
"Yes, I am."
Razor fought against the men holding him back, but he quickly found the phaser muzzle against his throat once more. Salen glanced around the room as though memorizing it before turning his attention back to Evans and repeating his invitation to be poisoned. Razor watched in horror as Evans poured the entire contents of the vial down Salen's throat. One of the guards slammed his palm against Salen's bottom jaw to ensure that he drank the dangerous chemical rather than just spit it back at them. The drug was deadly even to the touch and Razor knew that the instant it had touched Salen he was beyond help. The precaution was unnecessary as Salen willingly swallowed without even attempting to spray his captors with it.
The Stargazer didn't even have time to hit his stomach before Salen jerked in a sickening convulsion that was instantly followed by a violent seizure. Razor's heart slammed against his ribs as Salen fell back and clawed at the floor in agony. Arching his back into an unnatural curve Salen cried out before suddenly going completly limp.
"No! Salen, no! Salen!"
