This chapter has it's own warning here. I usually try to write PG-13 or below, but this chapter could potentially be rated M, depending on who you are. You have been warned. There are some torture scenes here, including sexual assault (not Jim). I apologize if that offends anyone, but it was what came out. Actually, I totally wrote this chapter completely, and then read another Tarsus story, and this scene came to mind, so I re-wrote it all. It's not too bad, I don't think, but I do go into some detail in the torture scenes, so if that's triggory for you, you have been warned.
Disclaimer: not mine
The entire trip to the city, JT was expecting to get caught. Every rustle of the wind in the trees was a patrol swooping down on him.
He and Tom made pretty good time, considering both were nursing injuries.
Fortunately, luck actually seemed to be with them, as they made it to the Palace without seeing a single person. It was getting to be late night by the time they reached the city, so most people were at home. JT knew that Kodos had installed a curfew to keep order, so no one was allowed outside at night. That had become law somewhere around three months ago, after he had lost several official food stores to some of the rebel groups that had escaped his execution.
Spending so much time at the Palace before everything had gone to hell had given JT an intimate knowledge of the best way to enter without anyone seeing him.
Towards the back of the building, there was an air vent. JT stopped there, and turned to look at Tom. He bit his lip. "Stay here. If you hear anyone coming, hide. Stay out of sight, I'll be back as soon as I can."
Tom nodded, his breath hitching as the reality of what the consequences would be if they were caught invaded his mind. "Be careful," he implored, his gaze earnest.
JT smiled slightly, and nodded, before turning back to the air vent.
It wasn't large enough for an adult to crawl through, and perhaps if he weren't so malnourished, he wouldn't have been able to fit either, but as it was, he managed to pop off the cover and stick his head through the opening.
His shoulders followed, and then the rest of him. The light dimming around him told him that Tom had replaced the cover to the vent.
It was a good thing JT was a genius, because he remembered the layout of the Palace perfectly, and was able to keep track of his progress as he crawled through the vent.
He knew the easiest place to take down the jamming signal was Kodos' personal offices, however dangerous it would be to get in there.
The vent wouldn't take him all the way, so JT had to exit the relative safety of the confined space a few hallways over. He checked for people before he popped the cover off and climbed out, replacing the grate before getting his bearings and hurrying towards the power box he knew to be located one hallway over. Once there, he quickly circumvented the passcode and, a few moments later, had disabled the security cameras in this particular section of the Palace. That act done, he hurried to the suite of offices where the Governor worked.
It was sheer happenstance that he found out that Kodos wasn't in his office – of course, he would have felt a little happier about gaining that knowledge if he hadn't had to dive into a shadowed alcove in order to avoid being seen by the Governor as he walked away from his office, in conversation with several guards.
Letting out a small sigh of relief, JT continued on, reaching the suite of offices a few minutes later. He knew he didn't have long, as someone would be trying to fix the cameras, and what he had done wouldn't hold up for more than ten minutes or so.
He popped the touchpad off the wall, revealing the wires behind them. Glancing around nervously, he checked to make sure he was alone, before he turned to the task in front of him. Crossing a few wires, he was able to hotwire the door, making it open for him even without the proper passcode.
He replaced the touchpad before entering the office.
Once inside, he looked around briefly, before going to the computer. He knew he probably could have hacked into a safer computer somewhere else in the Palace, but it would have taken more time than he wanted to risk, so this was unfortunately the best option.
It still took too long, since he had to get around Kodos' passcodes, but eventually, he got there, and was able to take down the signal. He knew it was really his nerves making it seem longer; he had been playing with and rewiring computers practically since before he could talk, so this was child's play to him. Then again, the Governor did use some rather advanced security on his computer, so it wasn't exactly pushing a couple of buttons and being done with it.
He let out a short breath, hoping that Cory would be sending out that distress signal by now. He wasn't sure how long it had been, but it was definitely at least two hours since he and Tom had left.
A noise drew his attention, and JT looked up, startled. His eyes widened, and he hurriedly typed a few more commands, setting up a sequence complete with protections to keep anyone from taking down what he had done, before he erased all signs of his being there. He quickly stood up, and almost ran to the door.
Opening it slightly showed an empty hall, so he left the room quickly, trying to get back to the vent he had used to enter as quickly as possible.
He was almost there when he heard the noise he had been dreading: the sound of several people quickly making their way towards him.
Four guards appeared in front of him, just as he turned the corner to the hallway where the vent was located. Glancing behind him showed four more guards.
He turned back around, unable to do anything as he felt a shocking sensation, followed by a stinging feeling, as the world went dark around him.
XXX
When he woke up, JT almost laughed. There was nothing amusing about his situation; it was more where he found himself.
A dungeon. An honest to God, dungeon.
He was lying in a heap on the floor of a cell. It had bars and everything.
How had he spent so much time in this place without realizing that they had such accommodations? Or maybe he was no longer at the Palace.
No. JT knew Kodos wouldn't remove him from his place of strength. In the Palace, he was in control.
JT was still in the Governor's Palace. Somewhere. Probably a basement or something. He could only hope that Tom hadn't been caught. And he really hoped that his file download got out. He had sent a copy of all of Kodos' documents on the famine, and his whole eugenics plan, out into space, with a special code to download automatically to the nearest authorized Starfleet vessel. He just prayed that there was a ship within range.
The sound of a door opening drew his attention away from his musings, as he sat up, wincing a little as he felt a stabbing in his side, reminding him of his run in with the guards a few days earlier. The back of his neck throbbed, telling him exactly where he had gotten hit by the guards that had caught him. At least this time, the phasers were set to stun.
A clanking sound indicated the opening of his cell, and JT looked up defiantly.
Two guards entered first, taking positions by the entrance to the cell, holding their phasers threateningly.
Kodos entered next, observing the teenager in front of him.
JT stared back, glaring, but not saying anything.
After a few moments, Kodos shook his head. "Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy. What am I going to do with you?"
JT didn't speak, tensing at the Governor's words. He hadn't heard his name spoken in a while, other then Anya's dying words, so it was strange to hear it now. He just glared at the man he had thought of like a father, once upon a time.
Kodos smirked a little, glancing over his shoulder.
JT's heart dropped into his stomach the next moment, as a guard dragged Tom into the next cell over.
Kodos turned back to JT. "Your friend isn't very good at hiding."
JT almost growled. He longed to wipe the smirk off that man's face, but he knew he didn't stand a chance.
Kodos didn't say anything else, and simply left the cell, followed out by the guards.
As soon as he heard the door close behind them, JT turned quickly to Tom. His friend was lying on his side, moaning a little as he covered his face with his hands.
"Tom" he whispered, quietly but urgently.
Tom groaned, looking over blearily, the eye not being covered by his hand resting on JT.
JT bit his lip crawling right up to the bars to better see his friend. "Are you all right?"
Tom grimaced, and shook his head slightly, wincing at the pounding in his head. "My face… my eye is burning." There was a hint of hysteria in his voice.
JT wished he could actually go to his friend's side, but they were separated by the bars, so the best he could do was to sit right next to that divider. "What happened?" he asked.
Tom shifted a little, readjusting his body to ease some of the hurts from his still aching broken rib. "I heard guards coming, so I tried to hide. They found me, and one of them got off a shot that grazed me. It really hurts, JT." The last comment was almost a whisper, a truth he really didn't want to admit, because that meant showing weakness, and he knew JT didn't need that right now.
JT frowned. "I'm sorry, Tom," he said quietly, guiltily.
Tom tried to shake his head, but aborted the motion at the wave of pain it brought. "Not your fault," he protested. "I insisted on coming."
JT bit his lip. "Still…" he tried to argue, but Tom cut him off.
"Don't worry about me, JT. I'll be fine. Just –"
He was cut off as the door to their prison opened once more, and Kodos returned.
The two guards who accompanied him opened JT's cell. He tried to fight back, but he was too weak from the malnourishment, plus the injured rib, to do much damage. The guard injected him with something that made him slump down, boneless, and they dragged the teenager out.
Throughout it all, Kodos didn't say a word, and simply followed his guards and prisoner out, closing and locking the door behind them.
XXX
When JT woke again, he was chained to a table. In trying to move, he realized that he couldn't, as both his wrists and ankles were strapped down to the uncomfortable piece of furniture.
He also realized that he was no longer wearing a shirt.
It hadn't been looking too good anyway, riddled with holes from the months he had spent living rough, but it was still disconcerting to realize that he was half naked. The clothes that he had managed to bring with him and his cousins, as they left their home five months ago, had been distributed amongst the group, as much as they could. The clothes he had been wearing were really all he had. He wondered where his shirt had gone, before deciding that it really didn't matter; he had a feeling he probably wouldn't need it much in the near future. There were more important things to worry about right now.
No sooner than had he had this realization, Kodos entered the room. He stopped at JT's side, and looked down on the boy. His expression was almost… regretful.
JT didn't buy it.
"Jimmy, I wish it didn't have to be this way."
JT kept glaring. "You could always let me go, then," he commented.
Kodos almost smiled, and shook his head. "I will, Jimmy, but first, you have to do something for me."
JT didn't reply, and after a minute, Kodos continued. "You've been making things awfully difficult for my guards over the last few months. Tell me about the group you've been staying with. I need to know where they are."
He waited, and after a moment, JT met his gaze once more. His eyes were dark and determined. "Go to Hell," he said calmly.
Kodos just sighed. "I really wish you would be more helpful, Jimmy. I want to help you, but you need to show me that you're willing to give a little."
JT didn't say anything. He just returned his gaze to the ceiling, and set his mouth in a tight line.
Kodos continued to ask questions for a while longer, but JT was done rising to the bait. He stayed silent through everything, until eventually, Kodos left.
His parting comment chilled JT to the bone, even if he didn't react outwardly. "I'll just leave you to think about your options," the Governor stated, before doing just that.
XXX
When he returned, JT was still staring straight up at the ceiling. His wrists and ankles were starting to hurt a little, from the restraints, but he remained steadfastly silent through Kodos' attempts to get him to speak.
After a while, Kodos sighed, and stepped back. "I really wish it didn't have to come to this."
JT looked over briefly, before he returned his gaze to the ceiling. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another man walk up to the Governor. Kodos gave the man a nod, and he moved forward so that he was standing over JT.
It was a guard. His face looked expressionless at first glance, as he started fiddling with a metal device, placing it around JT's right leg, but when JT glanced at him again, he could see the gleam of excitement hidden in the guard's eyes. When it was set up, the guard looked back at Kodos, who gave him a nod, so he immediately started tightening the device.
It took maybe thirty seconds for JT to feel his leg snap. He let out an involuntary cry, and Kodos moved forward again. "Will you tell me now, Jimmy?"
JT grit his teeth and shook his head, trying to take even, measured breaths. Kodos sighed, and stepped back again.
JT knew it probably wasn't as long as he thought, but it felt like an eternity before Kodos and the guard left him. In addition to the broken leg, he also now sported several broken ribs, a broken arm, and multiple bruises to his chest and face. Apart from a few grunts, he hadn't said a word.
He wanted to stay awake, but the peaceful blackness of oblivion was encroaching on his vision. The world faded out around him.
XXX
When JT woke again, he could feel his arms screaming in pain. He was surprised to not feel the pain of the broken bones he had received, and realized that they must have healed them while he was passed out.
He was in a different location from the last time; it was no less depressing, but now he was trussed up like a pig, his arms stretched above him, his feet barely touching the ground. He shifted his weight slightly, but it really didn't help any.
Before he could think any more about his situation, Kodos and the guard were both there, again. JT listened in a detached sort of way, as Kodos once more began to speak. Something had changed, though, JT realized. It wasn't about the group he had been staying with. Kodos moved around him, speaking calmly as he observed the boy hanging from the ceiling.
"Jimmy, I need your help. You see, there are several terrorists causing me trouble. You can help me deal with them. You'll be a hero. I promise, you'll be forgiven for everything, if you just help me."
JT didn't say a word. Not when the guard took a glowing red iron bar to his chest, or when he felt the whip rain down on his back. Not when they injected him with some sort of stimulant that made everything feel ten times more painful, or when they took a knife to key pressure points and made precise cuts designed to cause the maximum amount of pain without making him bleed out.
He just clenched his jaw and refused to give in.
The part of him that was still capable of coherent thought noticed that Kodos didn't ever lay a hand on him. He just stayed back, asking his questions and making his pleas in between the guard's ministrations. JT wondered why, but figured it was for some sadistic reason, and didn't really matter. Not giving Kodos the satisfaction of winning was more important.
Time blurred together for a while, and he was so caught up in the pain that he barely noticed when he was left alone once more.
XXX
JT had lost track of how many 'sessions' he had had with Kodos and that thrice cursed guard.
His back was constantly on fire, and his front wasn't doing much better. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. He knew he had broken ribs, and it was very likely by this point that at least one shoulder was dislocated. He hadn't been let down from his position of hanging from the ceiling since he had woken up to find himself that way. It was probably two or three days by now. Besides the branding iron, whip, and the guard's fists, he had also had to deal with a razor sharp knife that left lacerations to his face, neck, chest, arms, and legs. The blood was dried on his body, and he had to keep blinking rapidly to keep it out of his eyes.
The part of JT that was detached from the rest knew what Kodos was trying to do. It wasn't about information anymore. Kodos was trying to torture him into becoming an assassin. All of the questions and sweet talk the Governor had laid on him just proved it. Most of him was just focused on not succumbing to the pain, but his brain was a rather large place, so he was able to make this connection objectively.
The door opened, drawing JT out of his morose thoughts, and he mentally steeled himself for another 'session'.
It surprised him, when he didn't hear Kodos speak for several minutes. He looked up, startled by the deviation from the routine.
The Governor was watching him with an amused smile. It was more of a smirk, JT thought distractedly. Not that it really mattered; the truth was, whatever his expression, it really couldn't be good for him.
"I had so hoped you would be more cooperative, Jimmy," Kodos commented offhandedly. JT didn't speak, and Kodos sighed. "After everything I've done for you."
Still, JT maintained his silence. Kodos shook his head, and turned slightly, gesturing to something behind him. He turned back to his prisoner. "I found a few more of your… friends… lurking around. Perhaps they'd be a little more willing."
JT's heart dropped. No. He watched, horrified, as the guards dragged two bodies into the room, before taking up positions by the door.
One of the bodies rolled a little, before sitting up groggily. JT grit his teeth, his eyes pained, as he tried not to speak. He couldn't let Kodos know how much this development hurt him.
Kevin looked around the room, his eyes lighting on JT, hanging from the ceiling. He let out a little cry, but, as much time as they had spent together, he caught the slight shake of his head, and – almost painfully – kept his silence.
Kodos had hoped for something a little more, but nevertheless, plowed forward. "Yes, we found these two outside the city. Perhaps they'll be more willing. What do you say?" he asked, nudging the second one with his foot.
The small girl moaned and sat up as well. JT felt his heart drop into his stomach. Lisa looked at him, pleading, but he couldn't do anything.
After another minute of silence, Kodos motioned for the guards to take Kevin and Lisa away.
Once they were alone Kodos spent a few more minutes with taunts and insinuations, as well as a few threats, before he left as well.
Once he was sure they were all gone, JT let a few tears fall. His cousin. He wondered what she and Kevin had been doing out, alone. They were both too young. He had always made sure to impress upon the younger kids how dangerous it was to leave the cave alone. And never had he let any of them get that close to the city. He could only deduce that they had snuck away to look for him and Tom. Guilt was starting to creep in now. They had gotten caught because of him.
Oh God, Cory. He must be going crazy by now. JT prayed to any deity that may be listening that the rest of the group wouldn't lose their heads over the loss of two more of their number. He was counting on April and Percy to look after the rest.
Time once more faded as JT berated himself, blaming himself in every way for Lisa and Kevin's fate. He didn't know what he could do to save them, but he could keep everyone else safe. He wouldn't give in to Kodos' torture. Kodos wouldn't win. He thought he could mold JT into becoming the perfect weapon, but he had seriously miscalculated. He had failed to account for JT's will to live, for his compassion and his sense of duty to those he cared for. He feared for Tom, Kevin, and Lisa, though. He hadn't seen Tom in days, probably. His best friend hadn't looked good, with that injury to his head. He hoped that Kevin and Lisa were helping, however they could. He hoped they were together.
The door clanked open, and JT lifted his head slightly. The tears had left clean tracks in the blood and grime on his face, leaving obvious signs of his distress. Kodos' smile widened at seeing the proof.
Behind him, three more guards entered. JT noted in a detached way that one of them was the guard who always carried out the physical acts during Kodos' sessions.
The other two guards were dragging Lisa into the room.
JT tuned out Kodos' questions and taunting. It was an almost out of body experience; he could feel the pain inflicted on his body, but it didn't quite register.
He felt a lull in the pain, and looked up wearily. Kodos had stepped back, and was now watching his younger cousin with a gleam in his eyes that set JT on edge.
At a nod from the Governor, the two guards restraining the girl had her chained to one wall, ignoring her cries. The chain reached out several feet, so she was bound in the center of the room, her hands stretched out over her head as she lay there.
Lisa looked at her cousin. He looked so hurt, she knew that he couldn't do anything to help her, but the fact that he would if he could, helped her, just a little.
The guard that had administered the physical punishments to JT moved over to Lisa now. The razor-like knife was once more in his hands, and her cries increased as he made several carefully calculated cuts, going for places that would inflict the most pain, without becoming fatal.
JT only remained silent for two cuts, before he broke. "Stop!" he shouted. The guard paused, and Kodos smiled. JT looked at the Governor. "You've got me, do whatever you want, but don't hurt her."
Kodos shook his head a little, and with a motion to the guards, one of the ones by the door moved over to gag JT, while the one with the knife went back to his work.
Lisa's cries got louder, and JT jerked a little, unable to make any noise, tears streaming from his eyes, as he was unable to look away from his cousin.
He didn't know how long it was, before the guard stopped making those precise incisions. Lisa was almost unconscious now, blood, dirt, tears, and mucus staining her face and her body.
The guard then looked over at Kodos. "Sir?" he asked quietly but eagerly.
It was the first time JT had actually heard him speak, and he really didn't like the tone he heard in the man's voice.
Kodos smirked at JT, and then turned to Lisa, relishing in the fear clearly written on her face. He nodded. "You've more than earned it, Jason."
JT's stomach dropped now, his heart still lodged somewhere inside the organ. No.
He jerked and let out muffled cries once more, as the guard, Jason, ripped off Lisa's ratty pants, her shirt tearing as well, exposing her naked body for the room to see. He jerked and screamed, unable to do anything, as he watched that monster rape his six-year-old cousin. The guard paid no attention to her whimpering and pleas for him to stop. If anything, her cries seemed to invigorate him and spur him forward.
It felt like an eternity, he couldn't look away. When Jason was done, the other two guards took their own turns. Lisa's cries quieted a little over time, as she grew more and more out of it, on the verge of passing out from the pain. She was six, she barely even knew what was going on, just that it hurt so much. She wanted it to be over.
JT's eyes were streaming with tears, as Kodos watched, smiling.
The third guard stood up, though not before giving Lisa one last caress, his rough hand running from her undeveloped chest down to her legs, lingering in places that no man should be privy to, especially not with the girl in question being merely six years old.
The first guard, Jason, picked up the knife and went over to JT. He removed the gag from the teenager's mouth, but JT barely reacted, still staring at his cousin through the haze of tears.
Kodos' voice spoke to him, coming from right next to his ear. "She's broken, Jimmy. She can't live anymore. You can do it. Take her pain away. Take it all away."
Jason released him from the chains suspending him from the ceiling. JT dropped down, unable to stand on his own. He whimpered a little, and Kodos spoke once more, kneeling down as well so that he was eye level with the boy. "Kill her." His voice was soft and persuasive. "Kill her, and take her pain away."
The knife appeared in front of him, and JT looked at it, almost uncomprehendingly. He heard Kodos' words speak to him, telling him that it would all go away, if he just killed her. His hand reached out and grasped the hilt of the knife. He looked at Lisa once more, as his fingers tightened around the hilt. With an anguished cry, he twisted slightly in his position, and drove the knife deep into Jason's chest.
The guard's expression was startled, surprised, as he fell to the ground, letting out two more puffs of air before his eyes glazed over, and he stopped breathing.
The other two guards hurried over to restrain JT, but he wasn't fighting any more. He didn't care what happened to him now, but he had gotten the guard who had hurt his cousin the most. The other two would pay as well, but this one, more than the others, had been so excited to violate her, to hurt her. He would never hurt anyone again.
The guards strung JT back up, replacing the gag, before they also dragged Lisa into a standing position. She stood there, whimpering, only standing upright because of the hold the guards had on her. Her shirt hung off her shoulders, ripped wide open, and her pants lay in tatters around her feet.
Kodos walked over to her, and smiling genially, though there was a maniacal gleam in his eyes that anyone would be able to see. He ran a hand through her grimy hair, down to her chest, stopping around her waist, resting there for a moment. "Sweet girl," he murmured.
Lisa shuddered slightly, fearing the scary man in front of her.
Kodos' hand moved back up to her throat, hovering there gently, before a dark look crossed his face, and he began to squeeze tightly.
Lisa's gasps rang out in the otherwise silent room. The two guards moved back, so that Kodos' grip was now the only thing keeping her on her feet. JT moaned behind his gag, crying as he watched the man who had been so much to him wring the life out of his cousin.
It only took a few minutes for Lisa to stop breathing. When her still form crumpled to the ground, Kodos turned around and smiled at JT. It wasn't a pleasant smile though. It was dark and twisted. He moved over and rested a hand around JT's throat now. He squeezed tightly, though not as tightly as he had with Lisa. He jerked his head in the dead guard's direction.
"He was a pretty good guard," the Governor commented idly. His hand tightened briefly, and he smiled again at JT's gasp for air. "But it's a start."
And with that, he stepped back, and watched, still smiling, as the two guards left began to beat JT into unconsciousness.
JT had no idea how long it was before he blacked out, but when he woke up again, he was lying in a cell. Probably the same one he had originally been brought to, immediately after being captured.
His quiet groan brought the attention of the other people in the dungeon-like area they currently inhabited.
"JT?"
JT looked over, lacking the energy to actually move his body more than that. "Kev?" His voice was barely a whisper.
Kevin crawled over to the bars of his cell, looking at his leader with real fear. He bit his lip, and JT tried to muster up a smile, thought it came out as more of a painful grimace.
Not at all reassuring to any of them.
"Tom?" JT coughed slightly, wincing at the pain that racked through his chest. "Are you all right?"
Tom groaned. "It won't stop burning," he admitted, breathing in short bursts. It was getting really painful – not that it hadn't already been, but it was getting worse. It was probably infected by now, and he really couldn't see out of his left eye at all.
JT looked at his friend worriedly. Tom tried to smile, but couldn't quite manage it. He hated that JT was worrying about him. Truthfully, he knew that he wasn't the one who needed a doctor the most out of all of them. He had been hard-pressed to hide his alarm at seeing all the injuries littered across JT's body.
"Lisa?" Kevin whispered quietly, fearing the answer.
JT's face screwed up in pain, and a few more tears leaked out. "I'm sorry," he replied, shaking his head once. "I…"
Tom shifted slightly, unable to muster up the energy to move any closer. "It's all right, JT," he said soothingly. "You did everything you could."
JT sniffed, and closed his eyes. He knew that, no matter how long he lived – and it really was looking like less and less time, as the hours moved by – he would never forget his cousin's final moments. And he would never stop blaming himself.
No one said anything more, simply taking comfort in each other's presence. JT didn't actually think he had the strength to say anything more. He just turned his head back to the ceiling, dozing off and on for a while. The detached part of his brain was cataloguing everything, from the stomp of shoes he could hear down the hall, to the locations of Tom and Kevin in this prison – they had been separated, something he was sure had been done for a reason; Tom was two cells down on the same side of the room as him, while Kevin was four cells down on the opposite side.
Somewhere in his mind he noticed these things, but for the most part, everything was just too hazy to concentrate on anything in particular.
He wasn't one hundred percent aware of the guards taking him away, though Tom and Kevin certainly were, even if they couldn't do anything about it.
JT blacked out again. Was it just him, or did the black seem just a little bit deeper this time? He waited, in the oppressing dark. It was boring, after a while, but there wasn't much he could do about it, so he just… waited.
After a long period of time, or perhaps no time at all, he came to the rather startling conclusion that he wasn't alone.
He didn't know how he knew that, since he certainly couldn't see anything around him. "Hello?" he called out hesitantly.
No one came forward, but somehow, he heard a response. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. The voice was no more than a whisper, but he stiffened immediately. He recognized that voice. He had hacked into Starfleet's records and listened to his father's last transmission so many times, he would know that voice anywhere.
Jimmy.
JT didn't say anything; he just looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. It was several more moments of silence, before he heard it again.
Jimmy, it'll be all right.
JT whipped his head around, but still couldn't see anything.
You'll be fine, Jimmy. Just hold on. I love you.
He could feel the blackness lightening, and knew he was about to be dragged back to consciousness. "Wait!" he cried out, but it didn't help.
When he came back to awareness, he noted by the burning pressure in his arms that he was once more strung up from the ceiling. The pain almost made him lose consciousness again, and his vision blurred a little around the edges.
Kodos was there once more, but JT couldn't make himself concentrate on what the Governor was saying. A glance around showed him that Lisa's body was still lying in the corner of the room, and he had to look away.
The pain came in waves, leaving JT unaware of anything else. When the blackness came again, he felt more alone than the last time. The voice never showed up.
XXX
Captain Halloway gave a mental grimace as his helmsman announced their imminent arrival to the planet Tarsus IV. The USS Seymour had been the only Starfleet ship within range when they had received a rather scrambled distress signal. It seemed to be a repeating signal, since his Communications Officer, Commander Grisk, had reported that it was incoming every five minutes. That in itself wouldn't be cause for the hurry they were displaying; however, shortly after they altered their course to make for the Federation colony on the planet of Tarsus IV, Grisk, informed him of a packet of information downloading to the ship's database.
The information had been heavily encrypted, and had taken the Commander – who had graduated at the top of his field – several minutes to untangle. His gasp of horror had drawn the attention of the rest of the Bridge, and with a shaky hand, Grisk had sent the information to the Captain's PADD for him to see.
Halloway couldn't believe it. He wondered who had sent them the data, and he hoped that, whoever it was, they were all right. Getting that information out could not have been cost free.
Famine. Genocide. Panic. That's what it boiled down to.
He pulled himself out of his thoughts as they dropped into position orbiting the planet. He would need to have his head in the game for this mission. He hoped to every known deity that they would find survivors on that planet.
He barked out orders to several members of his crew as he stood up. "Flynn, Pike, you're with me. Grisk, you have the con."
Lieutenant Roger Flynn, the senior Navigations Officer, and Lieutenant Commander Christopher Pike, senior Tactical Officer, stood up and followed their captain to the 'lift, while Grisk moved from his position to the Captain's chair.
XXX
Christopher Pike couldn't help but feel apprehension, as he met the rest of their landing party in the transporter room. Halloway chose that moment to brief them all.
"We don't know what we're beaming into," he said grimly. "All I know is that a little under six months ago, all the crops died. Food storages were contaminated, and people began to panic. From what I could tell from the information we were sent, the Governor decided to execute half the colony, to let the other half live."
Everyone in the room felt shock and horror at that, but Halloway didn't give them time to dwell on it. "We're going down there to arrest the Governor, and hopefully, to help the civilians caught in the crossfire. The USS Yorktown and Endeavor should be arriving within the next few hours, but we're first on scene, so it's our job to secure it." He looked around at the group, nodded decisively once, and then stepped onto the transporter pad, followed quickly by the rest of the officers.
XXX
There was blood in the streets. Splashes of it dried and congealed on the paved roads.
The landing party didn't allow themselves to become sidetracked; there would be time later to process what they were seeing. The city square that they had beamed down to was deserted. It didn't stay that way for long, however, as several men appeared across the square.
The newcomers didn't seem to expect the company, and refused to halt to Captain Halloway's cry of "Starfleet!"
Phasers began to fire, and the officers returned the gesture in turn, as they ducked for the minimal cover they could find.
It was a few minutes before the return fire ceased, and the six members of the landing party hesitantly poked their heads out.
The perpetrators were down, stunned, so Halloway gestured for his men to follow.
When they reached the other side of the square, they all formed a perimeter, keeping their weapons in hand, just in case.
Chris poked at a phaser lying on the ground, separating it from the man who had been holding it. In the process, he made a rather unsettling discovery. "Their weapons weren't set to stun."
Halloway nodded, kicking at another phaser. "All wearing a uniform. Security, or guards most likely. Keep your weapons charged and ready. The Governor's Palace is that way." He nodded towards the gleaming white building. In the light of the afternoon sun, it practically shone.
Ensign Breen paused to handcuff the three downed men, before the party moved in the direction that was most likely to bring them face to face with the man responsible for this.
Chris and the others were even more unsettled as they approached the building. They had met no one else on their trek. Where was everyone? They only had the barest of details about what had happened, but there still should be civilians around, right? The information they had been sent indicated that four of the eight thousand colonists had been executed. Christ, they needed to get some answers.
A shout drew their attention to the entrance, and then they were taking and returning fire once more. A grunt to his right told Chris that Breen was down, though it didn't appear to be a serious wound, as the Ensign was still on one knee, firing back at the men… guards… in front of him. All of them were wearing the same uniform as the others they had encountered.
It took longer this time, but after several tense minutes, the fight was over, and their opponents down.
They tied up all the stunned men, before Halloway commed the ship, requesting another security detail to come down and take care of their prisoners. He then gestured for his team to head into the building.
"Spread out. Three teams, search the building. Keep in contact, and if you find anyone, bring them back here. Breen, how's your arm?"
The Ensign grimaced as Lieutenant Stebbins tied off the rough bandage around his upper arm. "Just a graze, sir. I'm fine."
Halloway studied him for a moment, then nodded. "You and Stebbins, form one group. Pike and Flynn; and Foster, you're with me. We meet back here when the teams from the Yorktown and Endeavor arrive." He met each of their gazes for a moment, and then turned and headed into the building. Lieutenant Foster followed him, and the other two teams headed in opposite directions.
This whole place seemed so wrong to Chris. It was so silent. They passed many doors and suites, offices where normally, the running of the colony would be taking place. This building was supposed to give the colony life, not kill it.
They didn't see anyone, as they stopped to open closed doors on their search. Down a level they went, and then it was more of the same. Empty rooms, and a feeling of wrongness.
It looked like someone had left in a hurry. There were chairs overturned, a couple pieces of furniture lying on their sides. But no people.
Where the hell was everybody?
And that was my attempt at writing graphic scenes of violence. I hope no one is offended, and I hope I did it right.
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