«And you are sure that Laithorian technology is being used by pirates?»
«Yes. Ive seen it first-hand.»
Hunter saw one of the Royal Guards approaching the Empress and whispering something to her ear. And though her expression hadnt changed, her eyes squinted. She replied quietly, and the guard walked off.
«Which of the contraband found on MSS Lyssandra have you retrieved from pirates?» the Empress asked the man.
«The contraband we had in our possession was retrieved from a smuggler.» Wolfin said. «We were investigating a trail of some pirates to find out where the tech was, but we had to return to Velutha, as we were approached by bounty hunters and found out that Serena was wanted under the guise of false accusations against her.»
«Ah yes, that I saw in the extracted memories Serena had sent us.» the Empress glanced at one of her council members and nodded.
«We shall start the Royal Trial as soon as Serena Dal Thara-Lyss will be brought to court to face her charges.» the man, dressed in strange wide clothing stood. «In the meantime, you are free to stay here.»
Chapter 5. Trial
The wait took some time. Hunter felt his nerves becoming even more strained he was not only anxious to see Serena, but worried that it was taking so long for her to be brought before the Empress at all. Lindon and Wolfin seemed to be even more tense, though at the start they were the ones telling the Terrans to keep their heads cool.
Hunter felt like something was terribly wrong.
Finally, after what seemed like at least an hour passing, the doors to the hall opened and everyone turned to see a group of people. Hunter flinched, only to be stopped by Lindon, as the people walked in.
However, everyone saw that the prisoner that was brought, wasnt walking herself. On the contrary, she was being dragged by two men, who carried her by her armpits, while her legs dragged on the floor.
Wolfin frowned, seeing Serena being seemingly unresponsive.
Hunter, seeing the procession, barely recognised Serena. He flinched forward, wishing to approach, forcing Wolfin and Lindon to catch him from running up to the woman, who seemed to be heavily beaten and barely conscious if at all. All three men watched in horror at the state Serena was in, realising they could do nothing in the circumstances they were in. The only one to do or say anything at that moment was only the Empress herself.
«What is the meaning of this?!» Empress Alatheas furious tone reverberated through the throne room. «Where are her clothes? And why is she in such a pathetic state?»
The woman watched the prisoner with a dangerous squint in her golden eyes.
«During the very first day she resisted us when we were searching her for any weapons, my liege.» Lazarus Dorn Kalun said, bowing. «I beg your forgiveness.»
«And her hair?»
«It was cut for safety reasons her own and ours, my liege.»
«Liar» Serena forced out, fighting through the pain and humiliation.
The Empress tilted her head:
«Prisoner! Are you calling him a liar?»
Serena tried her hardest to lift her head, even though it felt impossible:
«I am See my memories, my liege.» her voice sounded pained, raspy and very weak. «See how corrupt this man is. And his father and a few others»
«You demand memory extraction to prove your words?»
«I do.»
The Empress closed her eyes and leaned towards one of her councillors, listening to his advice. Finally, the royal waved aside:
«Bring the doctor to monitor the procedure.»
«I hereby give my consent to have my memories extracted without the use of any stimulants and painkillers.» Serena breathed out. «I wish for the extraction to have no ways of being undermined by any sort of drugs.»
Lindon noted how Lazarus suddenly lost colour in his face.
«You are aware how dangerous it is in your current state?» the Empress squinted.
«I am.»
«Very well.»
Hunter felt Wolfins hand squeezing his shoulder.
«How dangerous is it?» the Terran exhaled, panicking at the sight of his lover being so injured and mistreated.
«She could lose her life.» Lindon replied, gritting his teeth. «But she has a reason for this risk.»
«Ive never seen anyone being in such a state after prison» Wolfin mumbled to himself. «What did they do?»
They watched as Royal Guards took the prisoner from the prison guards and carried her to the medical pod that slid out in the far end of this hall closer to the Empress and her counsellors. A thin, sleek looking man approached the pod and the prisoner, carrying a scanner, checking her state and Hunter noticed how the man frowned deeply, seeing the results. The medic glanced at the Empress and seemed to hesitate to start the procedure for some reason.
And while this was happening, Serena was only trying to stay awake. She was on the brim of losing consciousness, but kept herself awake only because of her stubborn wish to show the Empress and all the counsel what was happening right under their noses.
She hoped she would have enough strength to withstand the memory extraction she had a whole week of pain and memories of what has been done to her to show them.
«I highly recommend a stim shot to be made.» the medic leaned in, when Serena was put into the pod.
«No.» Serena whispered, her voice failing.
«Then you must know how harsh it will be on your body in such a state.»
«Yes. I do.»
«Is the prisoner ready?» the Empress asked, and something in the tone of her voice felt off.
«Ready, Empress.» the medic sighed, looking into Serenas eyes.
As he began the procedure, Serena felt her head bursting with pain at first distant and faint, but then becoming stronger and overwhelming. Her abused body clenched in a spasm, causing her even more pain, and almost throwing her into the darkness of unconsciousness, but she powered through, biting down onto her lip to try and keep herself from collapsing.
To someone else the procedure seemed to have been taking only a few minutes. For Serena it was a struggle that lasted almost as long as her confinement. A few times she felt her consciousness slipping, only to be brought back in a fit of pure hatred for the men who had used her, while she awaited trial.
She tried hard not to let out a scream of pain, knowing well how many eyes were fixated on her at that very moment. But a few stray tears still burst from her eyes, sliding down and leaving her a faint, cold reminder that she needed to live through this.
When the torture finally ended, she felt her muscles relaxing, and her sight slowly becoming darker.
She might have given them the proof she needed to but she didnt know what will happen next. The rest was up to the Empress. Losing her consciousness, Serena wished that her sacrifices would serve their purpose and bring criminals to light.
Hunter, watching like a hawk, saw her eyes closing, and tensed up, only to feel Lindon and Wolfin tightening their grasp, so that he wouldnt run off to his woman. The Terran saw the medic scanning Serena once again, and glancing at the Empress in a very strange manner.
«Theyre done» Hunter whispered. «Why dont they stim her?»
Everyone watched, how the Empress and her counsellors aimed their eyes on the screens before them.
Wolfin felt his muscles tensing up, as he saw the Empress frown, and then tense up on her throne. The counsellors too seemed unnerved to see whatever they were watching on their screens unfold. Not knowing what they were seeing, he could only guess that it was something hard to process, as the Empress suddenly widened her eyes and threw a quick glance to Serena, before returning her gaze to the screen.
Time seemed to flow slowly, as the High Council sat there, watching Serenas memories.
Lindon flinched, seeing the Empress gasp and close her mouth with her palm, obviously shocked from whatever she saw on the screen. The Veluthian noticed how a few of her counsellors gasped as well, their eyes widening in horror and shock.
Hunter and Wolfin frowned, seeing this reaction. But if Hunter was trying to grasp at the thought that, maybe, the court saw some terrible torture that Serena endured, Wolfin found himself thinking on the fact that there had to be something extremely vile happening on their screens.
The Veluthian knew that none of the witnesses among the people standing there in the throne room will ever be shown what was on those screens. Unless, of course, the Empress will wish it.
But the Empress looked at Serena again, who lay unmoving in the memory extraction pod, and in her eyes Wolfin saw pure terror. The woman was not only shocked, but terrified at what she saw.
A quiet rumble of people talking arose everyone noticed the expressions of the counsellors and the Empress herself. Everyone was wondering what had happened.
«Doctor Dorn Malachant!» the Empress finally found her voice. «Take the prisoner to the infirmary immediately and see to it that her injuries are looked at.»
«No» everyone heard a raspy, frail whisper from the prisoner.
Empress Alathea looked at Serena once again:
«By Royal Decree I hereby set this woman free, all charges are to be dropped!»
The people began talking, filling the throne room with an even louder rumble of voices. Wolfin tried to find the people who took Serena to the hall, but the witnesses gathered so close that he couldnt see her prison guards. For a few moments he thought that, perhaps, something foul was uncovered to what they had done to Serena while she was incarcerated.
«Take her away! Stim her before releasing!» The Empress gestured to her Royal Guard, calling him.
Wolfin saw how Serena was taken out of the pod and dragged off by a couple of royal guards at the command of the Empress. This time, however, she wasnt handled as harshly as before. The Doctor hurried after them, his face frowning and concerned. Hunter flinched beside the Veluthian, and Wolfin caught his wrist:
«Dont. Well see her shortly. We cant leave just yet.»
He heard Hunter gritting his teeth in frustration.
The men watched as the Royal Guards approached Lazarus and his men, arresting them.
«Everyones free to leave!» one of the counsellors said loudly.
Hunter and Wolfin pushed through the crowd, followed by a silent and worried Lindon, who stayed like this all through the trial. Cipher walked last, wondering about what could have been seen on those screens.
Chapter 6. Release
Hunter couldnt stay in one place, walking from side to side all through the time theyve been waiting for Serena. The big double doors of the prison stayed shut, and the man was losing patience with each passing moment.
Wolfin and Lindon stood still, frowning at the doors and wondering why the release was taking so long. Cipher stood a bit further, keeping an eye on Hunter just in case he was about to do something stupid.
Finally, the doors slipped open, and they all saw Serena slowly walking out four guards letting her go, bowing to her from the sides of the corridor that stretched into the bowels of the building.
Serena trembled, grasping herself by the sides and keeping her eyes fixed to the ground under her feet.
Hunter and Lindon jolted to her, but she bared her teeth:
«Dont touch me!» Serena hissed, throwing their hands off her shoulders.
Wolfin and Lindon exchanged glances, but stayed silent. Hunter, however, tried to embrace her once again.
«Get the fuck away from me!» the woman shoved him aside, throwing him to the pavement. «Respect my wish. Its the least you could do after I saved all your lives by surrendering mine to the Empress.»
She finally straightened, obviously straining against her body, forcing her usual proud military posture to her shoulders and back. Not looking at anyone, she headed forward towards SS Growler, which stood ways away on one of the parking spaces.
«Serena, take my quarters for the time being» Cipher offered, reaching out to touch her shoulder.
«Fine!» she growled. «Just dont touch me!»
Cipher slowly retracted his palm, frowning at the unusual manner she addressed them all.
«Serena» Hunter caught up to her, trying hard to see into her eyes.
The woman didnt look up, still fixated with her eyes on the ground beneath her feet.
«What» Hunter tried to ask her again, but the woman shook her head, making him fall silent.
They walked silently, until they reached the ship. Wolfin and Lindon exchanged glances, but said nothing, even though they both felt something was terribly wrong.
«Youre hurt» Lindon said, trying to reach out to Serena to get her attention.
The woman swayed aside, not letting him touch her.
«Itll heal.» she growled under her breath.
«Serena, you have to tell us» Wolfin tried to watch his ward for any hint of her being able to respond to their questions.
«I dont have to tell you anything, Wolfin. Not now.»
«What the hell happened to you in there?» Hunter burst out, angry to see her so distant and cold. «Answer me, damn it!»
«It doesnt matter.» Serena stumbled a little, but caught herself on the wall, freezing for a couple of moments, as if trying to gather her strength to continue her way. «I need rest.»
«Serena, please»
«I need rest. Stop bugging me, Hunter!» she wasnt even looking at him.
Lindon walked behind, noting every bruise and cut on her visible skin, and wondering what exactly happened to her in prison, if the Empress arrested the men, who brought Serena to the trial. Even though he saw a lot with his keen eyes, he still couldnt really understand what she could have gone through behind the doors of the Veluthian prison.
«Did they feed you?» Lindon asked, watching the woman curl up, tensing from the sound of his voice.
«Im not hungry.» Serena retorted.
Hunter jolted forward and stood in front of her, forcing her to stop.
«Talk to us!» he demanded. «What the hell, Serena?»
She kept looking under her feet, not raising her eyes to look at him. For a second he noticed her gritting her teeth, before she stepped aside to walk around him. The man grabbed her arm to stop her, but he wasnt ready to face what happened next.
Serena twisted with her body, shoving him into the wall:
«SHUT UP!» she screamed, still not looking into his eyes. «Leave me the fuck alone! All this can wait! All your measly questions, all your worries they can wait! SHUT UP! Leave me alone, will you?!»
She pushed him aside and hurried further on, leaving the men puzzled at this outburst.
Lindon saw Hunters expression turning sour the man was definitely suspecting that something terrible had happened to his woman, and he was definitely feeling helpless, because Serena wasnt in the mood to open up to them all as to what exactly happened to her while she was held in confinement awaiting the trial.
Before Hunter would dart after the woman, Lindon caught his arm, stopping him. He knew that if anyone would try to talk to her again, it could make her fury take over. He didnt know if they would be able to handle whatever she could do then, as she was obviously distraught and incapable of keeping herself calm, even though she tried hard to remain calm around them.
«Give her a little space, Hunter.» Lindon said quietly.
«Let me go, Lindon!» Hunter tried to free his arm, but Lindon held him tight.
«Dont do anything stupid. Shes in no mood to be subjected to our questions.» the Veluthian shook his head.
«But»
«I know!» Lindon hissed, feeling anger rising within. «We have to give her time! I know how badly you want to help her, but right now she wants none of us to approach her!»