Pruning (part 20)
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Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
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18th September 2013
19:43 GMT
"Ugggh…"
Shayera tries to roll onto her side on her medical bed, but is stopped by the carbon nanotube re-enforced tungsten chains binding her arms to the sides. That jerks her awake, eyes staring around at her surroundings.
There's a brief pause, and then she checks her right wrist.
"I stuck it back on."
"Ah-." She checks the tubes going into her arms, and realises that she can't do anything about them. "What's happening?"
"The conference is firmly into the nitty-gritty, there's an outline agreement more or less in place, the Thanagarian Empire needs a new High Mor, but apparently that's been true for a couple of days. You've been under sedation, because I wasn't sure how functional you'd be when you woke up."
"What's the other tube?"
"Water, vitamins, and a thanagarian-safe mood stabiliser. Because it turns out that red power rings do a number on you… If you're not a New God. Which you're not. Or… Since the red ring I got from Draan Del Darr is still where I left it and I doubt very much that he's making any more, perhaps the problem comes from using knock-off versions, I don't know, Shayera, what the fuck?"
"I… I don't.. know."
"I know you don't like me, and I assure you that the feeling is mutual, but I didn't think you'd got to the point of trying to kill me."
"I-I didn't-."
"Oh, I assure you, you did." I half-turn, gesturing towards the display currently showing her medical information. "Would you like to watch a recording? As it turns out, you and the High Mor didn't manage to get a particularly high kill count, but to be fair to you neither of you had ever used a power ring before."
Her left hand clenches, tearing through the bed's padding.
"How clearly do you remember it? I assume you remember at least a little, given that you checked your wrist."
She looks down at her abdomen, the wound that was there not visible through her shirt.
"It's… Blurry. I was… Chasing someone I hate-."
"Hello!"
"No." She shakes her head. "More than.. you. I hated them completely. Nothing else mattered compared to killing… You?"
"Yep, that was me. The High Mor used you as a distraction while he tried sniping the delegates. Where did you get the ring?"
"Shouldn't I get a lawyer?"
"This system isn't inhabited, so there's no legal code. I took you alive because I need information and -as I said- I like Katar, but I wouldn't go looking for legal niceties. Those delegates had families, and you're wearing the uniform of an enemy soldier."
"Where am I?"
"You're aboard the battleship 'Bitter Scent', in an unnamed system in an area the Thanagarian Empire has marked for conquest. The locals aren't keen, and they're putting together a defensive pact."
"We're not near Earth."
"I suppose that 'near' is relative, but no. Not in the same Sector. How did you get here?"
"I don't remember."
"Because we've got cruisers out checking local space. If you came here in a ship, then they'll find it."
"I don't-." She breathes in, and then out again. "I don't remember a ship."
"What's the last thing you do remember?"
"It.. was-." She frowns. "Should I be talking to you?"
"That depends. Either, you're a colleague who had her mind altered by an artefact someone exposed her to, or you're a Thanagarian soldier who attacked one of her people's enemies. If it's the first, you tell me everything and there's no ongoing problem. If it's the second, that's fine, except that you'll be placed in a military prison facility until the Thanagarian Empire surrenders."
"I see."
"And that's the Geneva Conventions version. Traditional polaran treatment of prisoners involves deliberately infecting them with the Equalizing Plague!"
I smile, and make jazz hands.
"… Fine. I was briefing one of the new shuttle pilots on Earth customs."
I shrug. "I didn't think to check their ships for hidden power rings. But it must have been inert and depowered for me to not pick it up." I sigh. "Which means that there's a red personal lantern somewhere that we're going to need to track down. Thanagarians don't have a tradition of committing suicide to avoid capture, right?"
"No?"
"Then that pilot isn't going to enjoy what comes next. And neither are you."
"So it's military prison after all."
"No, but you're staying here until I can confirm your story." I take a seat, facing her. "Katar told me that you were thinking of requesting asylum."
"It-. Came up."
"Shayera, you were angry enough to use a red power ring. That's not a spur of the moment thing. And someone with the skill to make a red power ring can make another one."
She affects a stony expression.
"I think I've been clear about my motives and intentions. I want the Thanagarian Empire to stop expanding and free its slaves. To that end I have encouraged the formation of a defensive military pact and enforced peace with one of its enemies. The thanagarians under Hyathis's rule aren't being mistreated, and I'm happy-. I'm willing to take you there so that you can check for yourself."
I give her a moment, but she doesn't say anything.
I shrug. "I'm an empath. I can tell you why you're angry if you like, but I suspect that will just make it worse."
She regards me for a moment, then jerks her head away. "Fine. I feel more at home on Earth than I did on Thanagar. I like it there. I like not having a downside as a matter of government policy. Katar would probably have talked me into staying, but you… Made me face it. How Thanagar is compared to Earth's ideals. The slavery and the ghetto for aliens and poor people. And knowing that our government makes it like that deliberately so that we'll do what they want. And I got angry at you because you made me confront it."
I nod. "There. That wasn't so hard, was it? Now, if you'll excuse me-."
She pointedly rattles her chains.
"As I said, I need to confirm your story first." I raise my right hand to my forehead. "Enjoy your stay in hospital."
19:43 GMT
"Ugggh…"
Shayera tries to roll onto her side on her medical bed, but is stopped by the carbon nanotube re-enforced tungsten chains binding her arms to the sides. That jerks her awake, eyes staring around at her surroundings.
There's a brief pause, and then she checks her right wrist.
"I stuck it back on."
"Ah-." She checks the tubes going into her arms, and realises that she can't do anything about them. "What's happening?"
"The conference is firmly into the nitty-gritty, there's an outline agreement more or less in place, the Thanagarian Empire needs a new High Mor, but apparently that's been true for a couple of days. You've been under sedation, because I wasn't sure how functional you'd be when you woke up."
"What's the other tube?"
"Water, vitamins, and a thanagarian-safe mood stabiliser. Because it turns out that red power rings do a number on you… If you're not a New God. Which you're not. Or… Since the red ring I got from Draan Del Darr is still where I left it and I doubt very much that he's making any more, perhaps the problem comes from using knock-off versions, I don't know, Shayera, what the fuck?"
"I… I don't.. know."
"I know you don't like me, and I assure you that the feeling is mutual, but I didn't think you'd got to the point of trying to kill me."
"I-I didn't-."
"Oh, I assure you, you did." I half-turn, gesturing towards the display currently showing her medical information. "Would you like to watch a recording? As it turns out, you and the High Mor didn't manage to get a particularly high kill count, but to be fair to you neither of you had ever used a power ring before."
Her left hand clenches, tearing through the bed's padding.
"How clearly do you remember it? I assume you remember at least a little, given that you checked your wrist."
She looks down at her abdomen, the wound that was there not visible through her shirt.
"It's… Blurry. I was… Chasing someone I hate-."
"Hello!"
"No." She shakes her head. "More than.. you. I hated them completely. Nothing else mattered compared to killing… You?"
"Yep, that was me. The High Mor used you as a distraction while he tried sniping the delegates. Where did you get the ring?"
"Shouldn't I get a lawyer?"
"This system isn't inhabited, so there's no legal code. I took you alive because I need information and -as I said- I like Katar, but I wouldn't go looking for legal niceties. Those delegates had families, and you're wearing the uniform of an enemy soldier."
"Where am I?"
"You're aboard the battleship 'Bitter Scent', in an unnamed system in an area the Thanagarian Empire has marked for conquest. The locals aren't keen, and they're putting together a defensive pact."
"We're not near Earth."
"I suppose that 'near' is relative, but no. Not in the same Sector. How did you get here?"
"I don't remember."
"Because we've got cruisers out checking local space. If you came here in a ship, then they'll find it."
"I don't-." She breathes in, and then out again. "I don't remember a ship."
"What's the last thing you do remember?"
"It.. was-." She frowns. "Should I be talking to you?"
"That depends. Either, you're a colleague who had her mind altered by an artefact someone exposed her to, or you're a Thanagarian soldier who attacked one of her people's enemies. If it's the first, you tell me everything and there's no ongoing problem. If it's the second, that's fine, except that you'll be placed in a military prison facility until the Thanagarian Empire surrenders."
"I see."
"And that's the Geneva Conventions version. Traditional polaran treatment of prisoners involves deliberately infecting them with the Equalizing Plague!"
I smile, and make jazz hands.
"… Fine. I was briefing one of the new shuttle pilots on Earth customs."
I shrug. "I didn't think to check their ships for hidden power rings. But it must have been inert and depowered for me to not pick it up." I sigh. "Which means that there's a red personal lantern somewhere that we're going to need to track down. Thanagarians don't have a tradition of committing suicide to avoid capture, right?"
"No?"
"Then that pilot isn't going to enjoy what comes next. And neither are you."
"So it's military prison after all."
"No, but you're staying here until I can confirm your story." I take a seat, facing her. "Katar told me that you were thinking of requesting asylum."
"It-. Came up."
"Shayera, you were angry enough to use a red power ring. That's not a spur of the moment thing. And someone with the skill to make a red power ring can make another one."
She affects a stony expression.
"I think I've been clear about my motives and intentions. I want the Thanagarian Empire to stop expanding and free its slaves. To that end I have encouraged the formation of a defensive military pact and enforced peace with one of its enemies. The thanagarians under Hyathis's rule aren't being mistreated, and I'm happy-. I'm willing to take you there so that you can check for yourself."
I give her a moment, but she doesn't say anything.
I shrug. "I'm an empath. I can tell you why you're angry if you like, but I suspect that will just make it worse."
She regards me for a moment, then jerks her head away. "Fine. I feel more at home on Earth than I did on Thanagar. I like it there. I like not having a downside as a matter of government policy. Katar would probably have talked me into staying, but you… Made me face it. How Thanagar is compared to Earth's ideals. The slavery and the ghetto for aliens and poor people. And knowing that our government makes it like that deliberately so that we'll do what they want. And I got angry at you because you made me confront it."
I nod. "There. That wasn't so hard, was it? Now, if you'll excuse me-."
She pointedly rattles her chains.
"As I said, I need to confirm your story first." I raise my right hand to my forehead. "Enjoy your stay in hospital."
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