Operation S.A.L.V.A.T.I.O.N.

Chapter 14: Questions

I stare up at the tall blond man in front of me, looking so prim and proper. A captain. He's a captain for goodness sake!
And he's a part of this?
I realize I'm staring in consternation, hardly seeing the people in front of me.
But what does this mean? How long have these terrible things been going on in this space station? What am I even doing here? They said the Stardust was a research station when I joined. Lies? Has it all been lies?
"Mr. Valquire."
I jerk at my last name and focus again on the people in front of me, my face pulled into a scowl that feels like it's quickly becoming permanent.
"Mr. Valquire," Captain Matthias says again, "I'm sorry for the theatrics, but considering your..." he pauses, trying to find the right word, "...freak out, drastic measures had to be taken."
I scoff. "My reaction was more than warranted," I spit. "You're keeping a young girl in a cage, like she's some sort of animal! Torturing her and doing who knows what else!" My anger boils over and I feel my face going red. I yank and strain against the heavy chains weighing me down. "How can you do that?! You're not a man! No one who tortures their own kind can claim they are. Take these chains off and we'll see...!"
My rant gets cut short by one of the guards striking me hard across the cheek.
The pain hits me hard; the guard's gloves has hard and rough knuckles. I hear my grunt and immediately taste blood in my mouth. I take a couple deep breaths and spit the crimson substance onto the hard cell floor.
Captain Matthias straightens his jacket. "You know nothing," he growls. "You state she's our kind. You act like she is innocent." He comes closer to with a couple inches of my face and I lift my chin, barely hiding a snarl. "She is an animal. She is not human. She deserves to be locked up like she is. If she wasn't, who knows how dangerous that...thing would be to what's left of humanity..." Matthias cuts himself off and straightens suddenly, huffing a heavy breath. "No matter. You have two options, Mr. Lanworth." He spits my name.
Wow, the show of chivalry disappeared fast.
"You can either stay here in this cell, locked up 'like an animal', as you so eloquently put it, and stay here until you rot and die, or you can help out humanity by becoming involved with this operation."
I just blink, all this new information swirling around in my head.
"You have twelve hours to decide. I suggest you choose wisely."
Matthias turns tail and disappears out the doorway with the guards behind him and the door slams shut with a loud crash, the lock clicking into place.
A scoffing breath leaves my throat as I stare at the bloody ground below me. What... just... happened?
Was what this maniac said true? What operation was he talking about? Who is that girl really? Am I the only one who saw anything amiss? I'm not the only astronaut who came through the corridor with the glass wall that gave a view into her white washed prison.
I obviously don't want to stay here until I die, but I also don't want to get roped into whatever evil plot that's been going on here for who knows how long.
But that girl needs my help. I can't just stay in here with the knowledge that what they're doing is going to continue, with no way to stop it. There's no guarantee that if I do agree to help that I will be able to do anything, but at least there's a chance. More of a chance than I would have in here. Maybe I can intervene somehow, or refuse to do what they want me to do. Whatever that turns out to be. Maybe I can even bust her out.
My heroic scenarios swirl in my head. By the time the door opens again, I'm pissed off, hungry, tired, and so dehydrated my head feels like it's about to explode.
But I've made up my mind. I'm going to help her. No matter what it takes.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Lantroupa lays shivering on the metal table, strapped down like always. The scientist just got done with the horrible session, cutting into her skin to take blood, scraping skin samples off her arms and ripping hair from her head just to stuff the strands into glass tubes.
He's unhappy. Very unhappy. More so than normal. He was extra rough while handling her, not that Lantroupa could tell too well through the delirious haze of agony she's in.
"Why?" the guy mutters. "Why can't I find anything." He turns towards her, staring into her face. "You were supposed to be the thing we needed. You were supposed to be our salvation. Why don't you work?!"
Lantroupa doesn't even have the energy to flinch away at his harsh tone, but the man's questions pierce her foggy mind and raise some questions.
What is he talking about?
Salvation? Why? From what?
The scientist unties the straps around her and two guards come in. They stopped utilizing an entire army to subdue her a long time ago. She's too weak to attempt anything.
Flashes of her brother break through the haze and the agony of being apart from him tears her heart in two. Even after all this time, the pain hasn't faded.
"Maybe a trip to the monster will make you sing a different tune," the scientist snarls.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

A While Ago

Lantroupa struggles against the hard grip of the guards on her, tripping over own feet as her weakness disables her ability to walk correctly. There are new angry red scars on her arms from the session she just had to endure with the scientist.
She's being taken somewhere, hood over her head, with no idea what's awaiting her. A terrible feeling. Lantroupa's been in a constant state of terrified anticipation and agony.
She can't do this anymore. It's been so long. Exactly how long, she doesn't know.
Sappheer. The only thing keeping her going is her brother. She needs to live, needs to get out of here so she can go back down to earth and make sure he's safe. She needs to protect him.
Another wave of despairing anger rushes through her and she flails and pulls hard against her captors. The only thing her efforts reward her with is an aching body and a fist in the ribs that leaves her breathless.
She wishes so badly that she could scream and shout and rave and drown out everything with roars of pain and anger.
And suddenly there is such a sound, surrounding her and driving back the haze in her mind. A raging cry that takes her breath away and makes her blink.
They stop short and the hood gets torn off her head and Lantroupa finds herself leaning heavily on the guards for support as she comes face to face with a large glass structure containing a lush forest.
And from somewhere in the trees, the roaring sounds ever louder, shaking the leaves.

Hello everyone!

I finally got hit with a bout of writing fever!!! Here is a nice long chapter for you to enjoy, and of course, my cliffhangers lol.

Thanks for reading!

Best wishes,

LiethaS.