by Francis, Ron
King Dominus had addressed the people of the Hyperian Sector that morning to let them know that if not for Jesse and Kimi, their beloved Queen would have been abducted. The King had not mentioned the abduction of the Princess, though. Suzy imagined he had only mentioned the attack on the Queen because it had taken place very publicly, and it didn’t succeed. King Dominus then proclaimed the entire crew of Endeavor to be Honored Guests of Hyperia, which meant that anything any of them wanted would be paid for by the crown. Every citizen was expected to treat these guests with the same reverence reserved for the royal family. He had praised Jesse and Kimi for being willing to risk so much to save the Hyperian Queen. Now, everywhere any of them went, they were treated like celebrities. People would snap vid stills of them. They would offer them free food, clothes, tech, or anything else within their ability to supply. Suzy knew that every member of Endeavor’s crew would practice restraint in accepting these gifts.
As they sat at their table, Holt looked over to her and jokingly said, “Thanks for letting me use you to get into this restaurant. I think tomorrow we will try an authentic Pandaran place I’ve been trying to get into.” Suzy stiffened at the mention of a Pandaran place, and Holt shot her a worried glance. “I was just kidding, gorgeous; I swear, I’m not using you to get into these places.”
“What? No,” she replied. “I’m not worried about that; it’s just that Bessa and I were viciously assaulted by a Pandaran. If not for Jesse, he would have killed us both.
Holt squeezed her hand and apologized, “I’m sorry, I should have remembered your ordeal at the hands of the Pandaran. That was terribly insensitive of me, please forgive me.”
She just looked at him and replied, “There is nothing to forgive, it’s not like you had anything to do with the attack on us. Now, let’s enjoy a wonderful lunch at Hyperia’s finest dining establishment.”
______
The First Stryke landed undetected on Golaran. It was an ugly planet, at least the area they had landed was. The forest was not beautiful or inviting, but rather menacing and foreboding, as if it held untold dangers. The city they were looking at wasn’t much better. Everything was between one and five stories of prefabricated concrete or metal buildings. There was one ten story tower in the center of the city, but everything else was five stories or less. It was very odd, but Jesse figured there must have been a reason for it. Nevertheless, it made for a very unappealing place to live. Then there was the smell, as if they were near a refuse dump with a tinge of sulfur mixed in. He couldn't imagine a scenario in which he would get used to the smell.
Specialist Zendar took two of the Kings Special Tactics soldiers with him to scout the area and instructed Jesse to keep everyone else at the ship. Zendar disappeared into the pitch black Golaran night, and Jesse had a bad feeling.
“What’s wrong, Jess?” Josiah asked with concern in his voice as his nose wrinkled under the oppressive assault on his olfactory senses.
“I don’t like this, Jo, something’s off and I can’t place it.” He stationed four of the King’s men in the nearby tree line with Commando and some supplies then went to the cockpit. “If there is any trouble, you take off and report back to the King immediately, do you understand?”
The pilot looked nervously at Jesse, “What about the rescue team?”
“Forget the team. Your first priority is to make sure the King knows something has gone wrong, so he can make another attempt. I think we’re walking into a trap, and I don’t want the Conglomerate to get this ship if we are. Do you understand?”
“Understood, Sir,” The pilot crisply replied.
“After alerting the King to our status, stick around and comm me on this frequency." He handed the pilot a piece of paper with the frequency on it. "Short communications only, understood?"
"Understood, Sir."
While they were waiting for Zendar’s return, they heard blasterfire in the distance. Soon after, Zendar was on comm asking for back up, and Jesse took two of the King’s men to rendezvous with him. They came under heavy blasterfire as they approached the coordinates. One of the King’s men was taken off his feet by a heavy particle blast that burned through his chest. Jesse and the other soldier took cover. He was considering his options when Zendar and his two men rounded the corner. “How many are there?” He asked in full combat mode. Zendar didn’t answer. Instead, one of his men killed the soldier with Jesse and Zendar pressed his blaster to his head.
“Drop it, Marcos, my employers do not wish to kill you, but if you make a move, I will. They have all seen you fight and have given me that latitude.”
His first thought was to fight back, but he thought if he were captured they might lead him to the princess, so he dropped his blaster. Zendar took Helga from him as his men tied his hands behind his back. “The mighty Jesse Marcos, captured without firing a shot,” Zendar taunted as he punched him across the face.
Jesse just looked at him and said, “You will die before this is over, Zendar.”
Zendar hit him again and said to his men, “Now go get Josiah and Kimiko. Remember, they are very dangerous. Stick to the plan, or you might be killed.”
“Are the Princess and Collette even here, Zendar?” He asked, hoping the answer was yes as he felt a bruise developing around his eye.
“Oh yes, Colonel Jaketh has them in a secure location a kilometer or so from here.” Zendar seemed quite pleased with himself as he spoke. Jesse almost smiled at Zendar's stupidity, now all he had to do was figure out an escape plan.
Josiah and Kimi watched as two of the King’s men ran towards the ship. “They got Zendar,” one of them shouted. “Colonel Marcos followed after them.”
Kimi didn’t like the look of this, so she commed the men in the tree line not to come out of hiding under any circumstance because they might need to be the rescue team if things went badly.
The soldiers rapidly approached and leveled their blasters at Kimi and Josiah. They smiled as they said, “Colonel Marcos’ two men are dead, and he has been captured. Come quietly, or he will die.”
Josiah and Kimi knew they could easily take these two men, but they didn’t want to take the chance that Zendar would indeed kill Jesse. Kimi could not believe there were not one, but three traitors on this mission. They slowly put their blasters on the ground and Zendar’s men tied them up. They then went about completely disarming them, taking several knives, a couple holdout blasters, a few smoke grenades, some explosives and a sword from the pair. As the pilot of the First Stryke saw what was happening, he prepared for takeoff.
“Now, get your men out of the ship,” The traitor ordered. Before Josiah or Kimi could say anything, the ship took off and was gone.
“What just happened,” The traitor yelled.
Josiah smiled as he answered. “Jesse thought something funny was going on, so he instructed the pilot to take off and report back to the King if anything looked bad. It looks like he followed his orders,” Josiah laughed and the soldier grew angry.
The traitorous soldier hit him. Then he had them walk towards where Zendar held Jesse. When they met up, Zendar already had a dozen of Jaketh’s men there to help escort the prisoners to where they were holding the princess. Josiah had noticed that Jesse had already taken a few hits as they approached Zendar.
“Where are the rest of the men and Marcos’ wolf?” He asked as the men approached.
“They got away, apparently, Colonel Marcos smelled a trap and instructed the pilot to take off and report to the King if anything looked suspicious. He took off as soon as we disarmed these two. It does not hinder the plan, though. No help will be arriving for them before we leave this planet.”
Zendar didn’t like it, but there was nothing he could do about it. They began walking towards the facility being used to hold the Princess and Lady Collette.
______
Reece came back to Endeavor after training with Xanu. He couldn't shake a feeling. Something didn’t sit right with him about Suzy's friend Holt. He
couldn't place the feeling, and as he thought about it in the shower, he decided to have SAMMI look into it. He emerged from his quarters and he called out, “Hey, SAMMI, can you do me a favor?”
“You would need to tell me what the favor is in order for me to determine if it is within my capabilities, Officer Gavin,” SAMMI replied.
He held back a smile at SAMMI’s literal interpretation of his query. “Would it be possible for you to keep track of everything that Holt does while he is onboard Endeavor? And let me know if he does anything suspicious. You can’t let Suzy know about this, though."
“Officer Gavin, do you have reason to suspect Holt of wrongful intentions?” SAMMI inquired in her musical tone.
“I’m not sure yet, SAMMI, right now, it’s just a gut feeling. I can’t really explain it.”
“Colonel Marcos often has those, ‘gut feelings’ as you call them, and they are usually correct. I have yet to understand the logic behind such decisions, but I cannot dispute the results. I will do as you ask, Officer Gavin.”
“Thank you, SAMMI. For the record, I really do hope I’m wrong because it’s gonna hurt Suzy if I’m right, and I have no wish to see her hurt.”
“You would not like to see her experience anguish because she saved your life, Officer Gavin?” SAMMI asked.
“Not just that, SAMMI, because she is also my friend, and I want to be able to protect her if I need to,” he explained.
He was going to meet Collin and Bessa for lunch, and on his way towards the landing bay, his mind was still on Suzy’s new friend.
______
Jesse was relieved to see the two prisoners had been unharmed. Collette had a welt on her face, but that was it. Princess Rayelle had no bruises at all. She was terrified, they both were, but Collette was doing a better job of hiding it.
He noticed they were in a very utilitarian facility. It was as non-descript as they come. The outside looked like an average concrete warehouse in the warehouse district of any number of cities on any number of planets Jesse had been to. The only thing that stood out about this facility is that it didn’t stand out in any way. The inside really wasn’t much different. There wasn’t much to speak of. Even the room they were in, an office of some kind, had to have undergone some extensive redecorating just to become the warm and inviting temporary prison cell they now inhabited.
“Your rescue has arrived,” Colonel Jaketh mocked as he threw Josiah and Kimiko in the cell with them. Kimi was instantly comforting the prisoners as Jaketh continued. “We are going to get as much information out of you as possible before we turn you over to Garrinoras. He didn’t specify the condition he wanted you in other than alive, so we are free to have all kinds of fun. We’ll start with Colonel Marcos, because I really don’t like him.”
Rayelle just looked at Kimi and said, “I am sorry you are now prisoners because of me.”
“Do not worry about it; we will get you out of here." She replied as she continued to comfort the daughter of the King.
Meanwhile, Zendar had taken the jacket of Jesse's battle suit as a trophy, and he waited for the man who was to begin the interrogation of Colonel Marcos in the facility's basement.
"So, it's to be torture, then," Jesse surmised as two of the guards were bringing him over to some hooks protruding from the wall. He could see all the instruments of pain spread out on a table.
"Yes," Zendar replied. “I rather enjoy watching men who think they are tough beg for mercy. I cannot wait to hear your sobs as you break, and we take your dignity before turning you over to Garrinoras to be killed." He then turned to leave as the interrogator had arrived.
His interrogator looked at him; his hands were bound to hooks protruding from the wall above his head in almost a Y position. His feet were spread and also bound to hooks in the wall. His boots and shirt had been removed, and he felt the blood and sweat slowly trickle down his face from a wound near his hairline. He was in a cell of some sort; large stone bricks made up the walls. There was a door with bars across the window at the other end of the room. A large table with a single chair was the only furniture in the dimly lit room, and a vid-cam was mounted on the far wall. He wondered how he was going to get out of the cell and break out his friends. He also wondered if he wasn’t one of the targets all along. His question was answered when his interrogator spoke.
"I was supposed to have three prisoners to play with," he began as he removed a wand attached to a power source from his cart. "But you had to ruin our plans. I rather looked forward to torturing the Queen. I guess the Princess will have to suffice. Not to worry, though, I'm sure I'll still have fun with you." He smiled a smile that told Jesse he thoroughly enjoyed his work.
"Well, I wouldn't want to deprive you of your fun, now would I?" He replied with a smile that let the man know he wasn't intimidated.
"Very good," the man smiled again, "it is always more fun when they start out defiant and unafraid." He turned a dial on the power source and turned back to his prisoner. "What is your name?"
"Tom," Jesse said in defiance. He then began to feel energy coursing through his body. He grunted in pain, not wanting to give the man the satisfaction of hearing him scream.
"We know your name is Colonel Jesse Marcos. Now, what is your name?"
"Why are you asking me if you already think you know?" Another jolt went through him as his body began to contort in spasm and his arms and legs pulled at their hard leather bindings.
"What is your name?"
"Steve," he smiled, "I can do this all day." Another jolt, this time more powerful sent his body back into spasm.
"No, you cannot, what is your name?"
"Phil." Again the energy coursed through his body and as the energy stopped, his muscles relaxed and he felt the bonds holding him begin to grow a tiny bit looser. He was starting to breath heavy now as the energy was beginning to constrict his breathing. The acrid smell of singed skin was beginning to reach his nostrils, which added to his discomfort, but may have been an improvement to the smell outside the building.
Almost an hour into it, the pain became too much to bear. The next jolt resulted in Jesse's first scream. The tormentor smiled each time his prisoner screamed, but there were no begs for mercy, no information, and still no name.
After several hours, the man took a break, frustrated that he still had not gotten his captive to admit to his real name.
______
Josiah and Kimi were concerned as they had no idea what was happening to Jesse. They had all heard the screams from the torture. They hated having to hear their friend go through that. Suddenly, a frustrated man came up from the basement where they had brought Jesse.
Josiah smiled and looked to Kimi, "Good news," he started, "They haven't gotten anywhere with Jesse yet. Look how frustrated the torturer is."
Kimi smiled, but Rayelle didn't understand. "Why is your friend getting tortured good news?" She asked in disbelief.
"Because you are next, Your Highness," Kimi stated plainly. "And the longer he can hold out, the less time they will have with you, and he knows that, so he is not likely to break quickly."
"He's doing this for me?" She whispered in awe. "Why?"
"It is what men like him do, Rayelle. He has too much fortitude to let you have to go through this if it is within his power to keep it from you." Collette answered.
A short time later, the interrogator went back down the stairs, and the other prisoners winced in sympathy, knowing the pain was likely to start again for their friend.
______
What is your name?
The break must be over, Jesse thought as he drowsily said, "Tiberius." In spite of the pain and the oppressive heat in the room, he had almost fallen asleep. He could feel beads of sweat rolling down his bare arms and chest as his interrogator looked at him in utter disdain.
A fist came down hard across his face. The man looked at Jesse and mocked. “No rescue is coming, and you will break. They all do.” He had now moved on to another form
of punishment. He hit Jesse across the face again and said, “What smart remark do you have for that, Marcos?” Then he hit him again.
Jesse lifted his head slightly, and smiled through the blood and pain. "I never said my name was Marcos."
The frustrated torturer then hit him three more times in rapid succession.
“That’s it? That's all you got? If I wanted a kiss, I would have called your sister. Hit me like a man.” Jesse knew the bonds holding him had slowly and painfully loosened during his torture; as he was writhing in pain, he was also stretching the bonds.
The man didn’t like his remark and kneed him viciously in the stomach followed by two more hits to the face.
“Your sister is probably too much of a man for me anyway,” he laughed as the man became enraged. He grabbed a knife off of the table where he had laid out his torture gear. As he was swinging down towards Jesse’s left shoulder, Jesse’s right hand came free. He caught the knife and plunged it into the surprised man’s thigh. The man cried out in pain as Jesse freed his right leg and brought it up into his captor’s face, knocking him back over the torture table. He freed his other hand and leg and picked up two of the knives his torturer had laid out to use on him. He threw the knives into the throats of the two guards coming into the room to check and see what the commotion was all about. Then he stalked over to where his injured torturer lay, trying to get up off the floor. He noticed a key attached to a lanyard around the man's neck. He kicked the man in the face as he tried to rise and menacingly said, "Give me the key or I will kill you."
