The Depravity of Evil

Posted on Sun Feb 27th, 2022 @ 10:15am by
Edited on on Sun Feb 27th, 2022 @ 10:15am

1,060 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Not All Changes Are Welcome.
Location: Raider Vessel
Timeline: Current

Reagan lay curled up in the corner of the cold cell. Elliston had finally fallen asleep close by, though she could still hear whimpers every now again from him. Probably nightmares, she thought. And who could blame him after what he'd gone through?

Time continued to drag and RJ closed her eyes and tried to drift to sleep as well. Rest was essential if she were to survive what was to come. Then again, she didn't want to be sound asleep when the guards came next. She needed to be alert to attempt an escape. Moments later the escape plans had become dreams as Reagan drifted into cold sleep.

A full hour was granted before the doors opened and RJ was roughly hauled to the same interrogation room. There was a clean table, a jug of water, cutlery, all the fittings for a meal. She was secured once again into the chair and made to wait but the wait would only last a minute or two at most before the door opened again. In walked the same male from before but carrying a loaded plate of food as he sat at the table and slowly, bit by bit started to eat. He poured a glass of water and sipped it.

He had little doubt RJ would have any reason to trust him but he held all the cards and she was in no position to negotiate. "Hungry?"

"Yes," RJ answered honestly but refrained from sounding too desperate. Though just looking at the food and drink available filled her with a deep desire. With Elliston's cries in the cell, she hadn't even paid attention to her stomach's desperate growls until now.

Still the man ate, picking bits off from the various arrayed contents of the plate. "I have to admit, Starfleet was the last thing I expected. Last time any of you were seen was a while ago, a sign that Starfleet has taken a renewed interest perhaps?" A rhetorical question he knew, he didn't care who his foe was, the bigger the risk, the greater the reward. "It doesn't matter...."

He wiped his mouth having swallowed what he was eating merely picking bits here and there on the plate as he looked at her. "I can't help but feel your not telling me something, but I'll find out eventually." Over half of the food was gone by now, the point of eating to make his position clear. He held all the cards, all the power.

Taking one final drink of water leaving the half empty glass on the table he stood up and walked to the door. "Eat." Permitting RJ to finish what he'd left behind, half eaten and picked at. "You can take it to your cell, you can share it with your friend or eat it yourself but don't try anything stupid. If would be unwise to force my hand." Standing at the doorway he looked at RJ with his finger on a wrist display, a single press of a button released RJ's restraints. "You have 5 minutes." 5 minutes to eat but also carry what was left to her cell.

Without hesitation and faster than she thought possible in her diminished state, RJ popped up from her chair and sprinted towards the leftovers scattered across the table. She drank in the sight of food and water, eyes wide with ravenous hunger. Her pretentious side recoiled at the thought of looking so desperate over something that had been so easily obtained days before.

Within a few seconds, she had filled her mouth with chunks of apple from the table and then grabbed the jug of water and whatever other food she could carry. Even throwing some fruit in with the water to increase her carrying capacity.

The jog back to the cell was more difficult than expected. Holding onto remnant bits of food and a jug of water while running wasn't exactly a course Starfleet Academy offered. About a quarter of her cargo was no longer within her grasp by the time she reached the cell and knelt by Elliston.

"Quick, drink," RJ held the water to Elliston's lips and let him drink whatever he could before he pushed the jug away with his injured arm. She then refreshed her own parched mouth with the fruit-laden water, practically choking to take in as much as possible before their time was up. "We only...have about three...minutes...left....to eat and drink," RJ said in between gulps.

Everything of course was made more difficult by Elliston's disability. The absence of his hands not only meant that RJ had to hand feed him as she fed herself, but also brought Elliston the stark reality of what it meant for his future. How dependent he now was on others to take care of some of his most basic needs.

Time passed all too quickly as the door flung open and two large males walked in. One kicked Elliston away and to the side while the other harshly grabbed RJ. She was taken to another cell that was a bare room, there was no means for a bed and only a dirty toilet in the corner, she couldn't even lay straight because there was not enough room. It was very cramped, with no light it was utter darkness once the door was closed. Every now and then a member of the crew would give the door a hard kick more for entertainment and to disrupt RJ's attempt to sleep.

"Will you cut it out?!" RJ yelled, frustrated after the fifth hour of door kicking. The most sleep she got was probably about twenty minutes worth in between interruptions and in total just over an hour. Her mind felt on edge. She'd barely had anything to eat and was able to chug only enough water to just satiate her thirst. Not to mention the fact that everything ached from being stored in the tiny cell, unable to walk around.

A single tear dropped from her once vibrant blue eyes as she truly came to terms with her dreary predicament. How long had it been? Hours? Days? With no sign of rescue. How much longer would she be stuck in this cell? Would they all make it? The doubt crept in as she turned over, tucked her arms in, and closed her eyes once more.

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