5028

Deep Space: The Wingless Angel

Galactic Date 00:09:003 5028

I bided my time in the coming waking hours. If I were to make my escape, I would have to be quick and efficient in making my way through the ship. I pictured the route I'd taken through the many days I'd been here. It was muddled at best, but I knew we were near the escape pods. I'm sure that, with a touch of luck, I could get to them and get out. Gods, I was tired.

I rubbed my eyes, leaning my head back against the wall. Any minute now they'd be coming to take me to the interrogation rooms, I was sure of it. These guards ran like clockwork. Every day it was the same thing, same times. I tapped my fingers together, antsy, impatient. I was ready to be anywhere but here. My eyes blankly traced over the featureless walls. I turned my head, looking out the door to the two guards who stood watch over the cells. It felt like it was taking longer than normal.

I sat forward, reaching behind me, feeling the scars that adorned my back. Long strips stretched across it. On the one hand, I was grateful to Isngr for its healing, but at the same time, I wondered if they were only harsher with me for it. The skin on my back now was gnarled. I dropped my hand, closing my eyes. On the one hand, I wanted to just fall back asleep, but I knew it wouldn't help. It felt like I hadn't gotten any rest since I'd arrived. I suppose that, in a sense, that was true. Between the constant torture and the training on the Plains, I hadn't gotten any true respite from the moment I had been on board.

I heard a set of guards move in past the doorway and peeked up to look at them. Behind me, I prepared a spell as they approached. I watched as they typed in a code to the door, the barrier fading between us. One of the two of them looked down at me.

"The Commander wishes to have a word in her quarters." They said. My brow furrowed. The spell faded in my hand.

"No interrogation?" I asked.

"Not today, by her orders, though who knows what she has in store for you." They said, a crooked look on their face. I narrowed my eyes. I knew I should make a break for it now, but... some part of me was curious. What in the Gods' names would she want to speak directly to me for? After all, she'd had them wailing at me for the past week. I... I had to know. The guard tossed a fresh shirt to me. "Put it on." I slipped into the shirt, eying the two of them as I rose to my feet.

"Follow us." The other ordered. I stepped out of my cell, for the first time not being led in restraints, as we moved through the ship once more. Rather than deeper down, the two of them loaded me into an elevator. I could feel my weight shift as it began shooting up. The two of them sulked behind me as I stood at the front, waiting. The door slid open to a short hallway. There was a hand on my back, shoving me off the lift. I glared back at them, stumbling forward.

Brushing myself off, I looked ahead at another set of doors, stopping in front of them. I turned back, seeing the guards motionless by the lift. I took a deep breath as I looked back at the doors, pushing them open. Golden light flooded the corridor as a lush set of quarters filled my view. Unlike what I'd seen from the rest of the ship, this room was filled with wooden, hand carved furniture. A red tablecloth sat across a dining table set with two large meals. Candles lit the table, and what appeared to be wine had been poured between two separate glasses. Koratha sat on one end as I stood there.

"Good. You're here. Take a seat, please." I frowned as she asked this of me. What the hell was this? Some kind of trick? I watched her eyes, but they looked back at me with the same intensity they always did.

"This is a... funny idea of a date." I joked, trying to break my own tension. Koratha looked at me with annoyance.

"William, I will not ask again." She said. I suppose I had come up here of my own volition, not that she knew that. Cautiously, I stepped forward, pulling out the chair to sit.