The cold walls echoed with the faint hum of the ship's engines, a constant reminder of the reality surrounding Hayvna as she sat slumped against the unforgiving bulkhead on the opposite side of the door. Her left arm, now marred with dents and scratches, was evidence of her father's relentless brutality. Two days had passed since David had taken her, and with each moment, the weight of her situation pressed down on her.

For the past several hours, or at least she believed it must have been hours, she had been left alone in the dimly lit brig. Her golden command shirt was now gone and all she had on was the black set of compression gear she wore under her normal uniform that didn't cover her arms very well. A faint chill went down her spine and she straightened herself up a bit, trying to ignore it. When Dr. T'lirri found out about this, she would not be happy. Hell, S'Nira was not going to be happy either. But she would not fail them...she couldn't risk them getting hurt.

'I hope they're doing okay.' Hayvna thought quietly to herself as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the bulkhead.

The door slid open with a hiss, and David stepped in, his imposing figure casting a long shadow across the room. He looked as if he had stepped out of a nightmare, his eyes cold and calculating, a cruel smile playing on his lips. Just as she had done for hours prior, Hayvna glared up at him.

"Ah, my dear Hayvna," He said, his voice smooth yet dripping with malice as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "Still refusing to cooperate, I see."

Hayvna lifted her head, her dark hair falling over her face. The pain coursing through her body was a reminder of what he'd done earlier and her cuts stung fiercely with each small movement. "You'll never get it from me, David. Not now, not ever."

His expression darkened as he took another step forward to loom a bit over her. "You think your defiance is admirable? It's foolish. Tell me where the artifact is, and this can all end. You can go home to your little ship and your pathetic crew...as long as you keep your mouth shut."

"Don't insult my crew! I won't betray my mother's memory for you nor will I betray Starfleet," She spat back, her voice hoarse but resolute. It had taken a hard edge at the mention of her crew. "You killed her. You destroyed everything she built. You think I'd give you anything?"

With a sudden movement, David closed the distance between them with anger in his step. He grabbed her collar, yanking her close, his breath hot against her face. "You are just like your mother—stubborn and reckless. But I will break you. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Hayvna's heart raced, but she refused to show fear as she snarled back in his face. She pushed against him, attempting to break free. "You're a monster, David. You always have been."

She was swiftly dropped to the floor as he took a step back and Hayvna glanced up at him. His laughter echoed in the small space, a sound devoid of warmth. "And you are my daughter. You will learn to obey me."

The blow came swift and hard. Pain exploded in her side as he struck her, the force knocking her against the wall. She gasped, struggling to breathe, but adrenaline surged through her. She could not give in. She would not let him win.

With a surge of will and maybe stupidity, Hayvna lunged at him, her right hand connecting with his jaw. For a moment, she saw surprise in his eyes, and it fueled her to hit him again. But he quickly retaliated, seizing her wrist and twisting it painfully.

"You think you can fight me?" He hissed, backing her against the wall once more, his grip tightening to the point she had to bite her lip to stay quiet. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction. "You are weak, and I will show you just how weak you truly are."

He struck again, and again. Each blow sent waves of agony through her, and she felt her consciousness flicker like a faulty light. Just as she began to fade, he dropped her again to the cold floor and stepped back, breathing heavily with a twisted satisfaction etched on his face.

"Enough for now, I guess," He said, his tone mocking as he grinned at her. "Maybe some time alone will help you reconsider." He turned, his footsteps echoing as he exited the brig, the door sliding shut with a finality that left her in darkness.

Hayvna pushed herself up on her shaking right limp and slumped against the wall, gasping for breath as she felt the blood run down her face from her nose. A feverish chill began to creep through her body, and the room spun around her. The fear for her crew consumed her thoughts and she squeezed her eyes shut. What would he do to them if she continued to refuse? She could not let them suffer because of her.

She was jolted from her thoughts when the door was thrown open and David had returned—but he was not alone. He dragged a limp body behind him, the figure barely recognizable at first in the dim light. Panic surged through Hayvna as she realized it was Lt. Athryriass Sh'rhaothrir, her Andorian helmsman. Arisa's typically vibrant blue skin was pale, and her eyes were closed, evidence of a fight clear on her body.

"What have you done to her?" Hayvna cried, her heart racing with dread and a quick rising surge of anger. How dare he.

David threw Arisa to the ground, the thud echoing painfully in the confined space. "You want your precious crew back? Then you will start talking."

"How could you?" Hayvna shouted, fury igniting her pain. She pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the waves of nausea as she forced herself to take a step toward the fallen officer. "What kind of monster are you?"

He stepped closer, his demeanor cold and calculated. "The kind that will do whatever it takes to get what I want. You know where the artifact is. All I need is a little pressure."

Hayvna felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. The struggle within her raged like a tempest. She looked at Arisa, her eyes pleading for strength, for a way out. But there was none—not yet.

David smiled, his eyes glinting with cruel delight. "You see, darling, you have a choice. Give me the information I seek, and I will spare her. Keep resisting, and I will make your life a living hell—and hers too."

"You think you can break me with this?" She said through gritted teeth as she fixed him with a glare that would have made any normal Starfleet officer shrink. "You think I'll betray my crew? My mother's legacy?"

David's smile faltered for a moment, replaced by an expression of irritation. "You will. I guarantee it. I have all the time in the universe to make you see reason."

With that, he stood up, brushing off his hands as if he had merely been cleaning up. "Consider your next move carefully, Hayvna. The clock is ticking." He turned, leaving the brig once more, his laughter trailing behind him like a specter.

As the door hissed shut, Hayvna fell to her knees beside Arisa, her heart racing. Her fingers pressed against her pulse point, and she couldn't help the sound she made when she felt a strong beat under her fingers. She took a deep breath, forcing back the tears that threatened to spill. She couldn't let her crew down, not now.

"Arisa," She whispered, brushing the Andorian's hair back from her face. "Stay with me. We'll get through this. Please...wake up."