Escape from Palpatraz

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Vissica squared to Kyle, thumping her tail audibly against the ground.

"If you do not submit to your punishment, then I will administer the regulator to both of you myself."

[Onika Zepparah]

Onika didn't dare even to breathe as Kyle pled her case, as powerless as if she were watching a holofeed. But Vissica's tail pounded like a judge's gavel, and the matter was settled. The Empire won. The Empire always won. Either one of them would suffer, or both would.

"Fine," she said, her voice as hard as Mandalorian iron, and she glared at Vissica as she stepped up to the regulator. Then, with a swallow, she turned and settled back against it, finding that it cradled her effectively even though it was built to accommodate beings much larger than herself. The restraints seemed to find her arms and legs by design. A single button press on the control panel would bind her there.

She used her last moments of freedom to turn her head back toward Hal, crimson eyes bright with fear. "Let's just get this over with. Please."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Hal fumed with anger. He had been played, and not only that, he had been played in a way which would cause injury to someone he had stepped up to protect. Still, he had no choice, and he took his place at the controls, hesitating before pressing the button to bind Onika to the Table of Extreme Unpleasantness. In a flash, the restraints locked down, binding Onika firmly to the device, and Hal closed his eyes wishing he could be anywhere else.

As he opened them again, the table's probes slowly curled around on their articulating arms, as if some massive, twelve-legged spider were reaching out to grab Onika and hold her to its belly. Their chromed tips may as well have been scorpion stingers, for all the pain they would deliver, and the machine lowered them down into place. This was going to hurt.

...or not. Hal glanced between Baastian and Vissica for a last-moment reprieve, yet none was granted. "What setting should I use, and for how long?"

[Baastian Cain]

Baastian stood with arms clasped behind his back. His eyes drifted from Onika to the Nehantite at the controls.

"Use your discretion, cadet."

There was a warning in those words. And Vissica was positioned to see every move Hal made on the control panel.

[Halajiin Rabeak]

Hal's ears wilted at effectively being told to pick his own branch from the tree to get whipped with, and he looked down at Onika. There he hesitated, fingers on the dial.

The Dining Table of Doom had 36 different flavors of pain settings, each more intense than the last, and he had only seen it turned up to twelve before its subject passed out. That subject had been a large, square-headed hunk of manflesh, which was a far cry from the girl strapped down before him. Still, he had to pick something, and so he sighed before gently easing the dial up, hearing it click with each step, until he settled on six. Six seemed like it would be painful enough, without being overkill for the reason of punishment.

[Onika Zepparah]

One... two... three... four... five... six. Each click sounded like a hammer blow in Onika's throbbing auricle domes. Her fingers curled into her palms, hands bound too tightly to tremble. She tried to think of the lessons she had learned in this room, how to be brave in the face of agony.

But instead she found herself thinking of Kona. Of her friends. Even of her mother. She heard their voices, telling her to be strong. She would. She would try.

Oh gods...

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Vissica inspected the setting on the device, glanced from Onika to Kyle, and nodded.

"Proceed."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

His furred finger hovering over the switch to activate the machine, Hal looked Onika in the eyes, an apology written upon his face. But he could not seem to focus there long, instead allowing his gaze to look over the Credenza of Calamity, and its twelve Arms of Agony, before nodding and flicking the switch.

[Onika Zepparah]

Onika felt the switch snap, like a shock that went all the way through her spine and down to her toes, making her flinch in her restraints. A low, malevolent buzzing, like the drone of a thousand viper wasps, rose up all around her, and the twelve probe arms surged with a baleful green glow. She felt them pulling at the fabric of her jumpsuit, making her skin prickle over with gooseflesh. Any moment the pain would begin... any moment...

Any... moment.

Her chest shuddered with shallow, panicked breaths, and she stared down at the clutching arms as they drilled into her body. Green glow...

Each probe was wrapped in a thin cocoon of green light, shimmering against the neuroelectric wrath of the Regulator, but holding them at bay, millimeters from making contact with her body. The pull she felt on her clothes was the same force that held them up. But if she could see it, then surely the Knights...

Her wide eyes flickered toward Baastian, who stood like a statue, watching in stony complacence. Then to Vissica, who stood with her flews pulled back, vigilant, but satisfied. And then to Kyle, who stared at her with what might have been impotent rage, or perhaps... intense concentration.

She understood. Her mouth fell open, letting her gasping breath be heard. Then a strangled sob, like the first breach in a crumbling dam. Then she twisted herself back and forth against the bonds, tears bursting from her eyes, fingernails digging at her palms until they bled, and she screamed herself hoarse until at last she heard the switch again, and the machine went silent. Then she collapsed, utterly spent, heaving with ragged breaths, unfocused eyes wandering the ceiling.

She only hoped she'd given a passing performance.

[Baastian Cain]

As soon as the machine spooled down, Baastian moved to the girl's side and pulled the probe arms away. He swiftly tugged the glove off his right hand and pressed his fingers to the side of her neck. He waited the space of a few breaths, counting.

"Pulse is steady," he said. "Breathing strong. Onika, can you hear me?"

He was rewarded with a glimpse of her hazy, crimson eyes. He let out a long sigh and straightened up.

"I think we're finished here," he said, and he looked to Vissica. "Don't you?"

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

The Selonian nodded in response to Baastian's question.

"Release her bonds."

She moved to the side of the device, standing over Onika.

"Cadet Zepparah, you are released. If you can walk, return to your quarters."

Vissica turned her attention to Kyle.

"Cadet Rayner, do you find your punishment fitting?"

[Halajiin Rabeak]

If ever Hal was grateful for acting, it was there, on the Desk of Ill Omen, as Onika played out a near-perfect replica of what they had witnessed in class some time ago. Watching as Onika continued to sell the performance with a shaky stand, he hung his head before finally glancing up to Vissica.

"I took no pleasure in it, if that's what your'e asking," he replied.

[Onika Zepparah]

Onika slid off the angled table and nearly collapsed as her knees folded under her. She caught herself with one hand on the edge of the machine and felt a strong hand under her other elbow.

"I'm fine," she snapped at Baastian, with a little more venom than she should've been allowed. But he stepped away respectfully, and she straightened herself and turned to face Hal. She said nothing. Just stared him in the eye. Let them interpret it how they wanted to.

Then she made for the door with cautious steps and disappeared into the corridor.

[Baastian Cain]

Baastian waited until the door had slid shut behind her, allowing Onika the dignity of a private retreat. Then he turned back to Hal.

"I know you would have taken her place in a heartbeat," he said. "Discipline is to supposed to be hard. But it serves a purpose. She'll see that in time. And I'm sure you'll have the opportunity to earn back her trust."

[Halajiin Rabeak]

"You seriously think she'll trust anyone here after that?" Hal sneered. He didn't know if his turn on the Motel Bed of Average Comfort was next, but by that point he didn't care. The Knights could be a force for good, if only they could get their heads out of their collective asses and realize true strength doesn't come from discipline.

"I'll be lucky if she so much as looks at me again. Did you forget we may someday need to rely on each other in the field as Knights?" He stared at the pair of Knights in disbelief, then shook his head. "Am I supposed to hop up here and take my turn next, or are we done here?"

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"One thing is clear," Vissica said, scratching her chin fur, "You do have more to offer the Empire than to simply serve as a cadet. I will petition the Knight General to raise you to the rank of Knight."

From her tone, it was clear that the idea of a promotion wasn't necessarily cause to celebrate.

"You have tasted responsibility, and how bitter it turns when you betray it. Remember, because the consequences for you will be worse from now on."

[Baastian Cain]

Baastian couldn't disguise his surprise at Vissica's pronouncement. But not because he disagreed.

"I'd support that petition," he said. "Kyle, you have skills and experience that we need in the field. You've grown a lot since we took you in. And the cadets need to see that kind of growth is rewarded. I would be honored to serve the Empire alongside you."

He offered Hal his bare hand for a shake across the control panel.

[Halajiin Rabeak]

"What?" the word fell out of Hal's lips like one grape in a mouthful too many. Eyes of heavy skepticism traveled back and forth between the pair, and he did not move to take Baastian's hand.

"You have me inflict incalculable pain on a girl, through a trick of your own invention, then offer me a promotion because of it?" He asked. "Is this some kind of joke?"

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"The pain inflicted on Cadet Zepparah would never have happened if you matched the talent you possess with the responsibility it requires."

Vissica was particularly unmoved by the Nehantite's outrage, regarding him with a cool expression.

"Now you have the responsiblity, and the accountability. If you fail, you will not only fail yourself, but you will fail those who look up to you and follow you. Tread carefully, Kyle Rayner."

[Baastian Cain]

"You said you wanted to show us what you could do," Baastian said. "You're going to get that chance, whether you like it or not."

He leaned forward over the control panel. Seized by a vice grip, Hal's paw suddenly leapt into his open hand, and he clasped it there with his other, squeezing hard.

"And all eyes will be on you, Cadet. You can take that to the bank."

He released Hal and turned for the exit, waving the troopers to return to their posts.