trans_9 | Buy a Little Mercy [Open; Potentially Graphic Material]

Less than an hour after the ship leaves Agrestic's orbit, an announcement is broadcast throughout Stacy.

|| Attention, crew. Your crewmates, Howard Bassem and Charles Merriman, have been apprehended attempting to desert. They will now be given Punishment. According to established guidelines, you are all requested to report to the Observation to witness the Punishment. Attendance is not mandatory, but highly suggested. This will serve as a reminder of the consequences of treason and desertion. ||

On the observation deck, Archon Yavek, Archite Rekkti, two other Daligig and a handful of Kessek soldiers stand outside a spherical force field. Inside the bubble, Orc and Howard are suspended by tentacles looping around their wrists. Orc's ceased thrashing around and struggling against his restraints; rust-colored fissures have developed around his shoulders and forearms from the strain, but now he simply hangs there, looking defeated. Howard's nose is bleeding, and every time a drop falls to the bottom of the forcefield there's a small sizzle. He's weeping and begging the Daligig with every plea possible, but they act as if they aren't listening. Instead, they wait for an audience.

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Cedric had been forlornly playing with the cats back at the inn when the message arrived. He'd dropped his little ball of yarn in shock, leaving Sushi and Emergency Rations to tussle over it on their own.

He looked down at them, sparing a little skritch before taking up his wand and running. Please don't be too late...no...surely they can stop this...

A few minutes later, he skidded onto the Observation Deck. What he saw made his stomach churn. Howard and his friend Orc, captured and afraid. The Daligig looking menacing. Memories of the video he'd hardly managed to watch even segments of flashing through his head.

"This is absurd!" he yelled, clenching his fists. "You're going to torture them for attempting to escape an awful war that we were forced into?"

"What is absurd is the idea that desertion should go without consequences," Yavek snaps. "Do you not believe that the Daligig were forced into this same war by the Ohm's evil? This isn't a battle you enlist in. This is a battle you join to survive."

One of the Kessek walks forward and towers over Cedric, hoping to intimidate him into inaction.

"Even so, it's still extreme," Cedric insisted, a hard edge to his voice. There was no fear when he knew in his heart that he was right.

He took a hard and deep breath. "If you would keep unwilling people as soldiers, what's next? Torturing people you don't judge to be working hard enough?"

"Extreme? Did you miss the message that we are in the midst of a war?" Yavek sneers. "Are you questioning my authority over two crew members who clearly care more about their own skins than the multiverse at large. Their rewards for self-centered cowardice should be enough of an example to keep people from choosing the same pusillanimous road twice."

"No, I didn't, thank you," Cedric shoots back. "We weren't made aware that leaving was a crime, and...they're cracking under the pressure. We all are, to a point. I'm going on because we'll all die if no one fights in the war, but are you really going to get your best work from them if they're scared?"

He folds his arms. "You have the willing. You have me, there was no life left for me anyway."

With a cold feeling settling on him, he realises that Yavek hadn't denied being willing to torture those who weren't working hard enough.

"That this crew isn't prepared to handle pressure is not a concern of ours! That is supposedly what your ridiculous command and council structure is supposed to be addressing!"

Yavek glares at Cedric. He's clearly had it up to here with the backtalk. "We don't need only the willing. People on Stacy are chosen for a reason. Don't pretend it's only about your noble sacrifices."

And Cedric's had it up to here with people who think mercilessly torturing their unwilling soldiers is a great way to lead, so, look at that, they're even!

"You're making a mistake."

With that, he turns and moves to walk away. Time to quickly think of another plan.

When Cedric has some space, he makes his move.

He darts forward, flinging stunning spells in the direction of every Kessek. He expects most of them to be deflected, of course, but as long as he keeps moving and avoids getting hit he might just find a weak spot.

They only need enough of an opening to break that bubble and get their crew out.

One of the Kessek is temporarily stunned. The others deflect the blows. One bounds up to Cedric and, barely but just giving Cedric enough time to raise a hand in defense, delivers a backhanded blow that sends Cedric skidding across the floor.

Sirius arrived there just in time to see the Daligig deflect Cedric's spells and send him sprawling.

"Cedric!"

Sirius hadn't spoken with Cedric much but he had been Harry's school mate, rival, and most importantly, someone who had died for him.

Sirius ran over to the ~~boy~~ man, quickly assessing his injuries. "Stay down."

If Cedric wasn't so preoccupied with trying to save Howard, he would've rolled his eyes. Honestly---he ached, probably sprained a few things and was bruised, but this wasn't bad yet.

"I can't. Howard." He struggled to pull himself up with a grim expression, quietly casting a stinging hex at that Kessek.

Sirius placed a hand on his shoulder to hold him back.

"I know."

If it were James up there... but he wasn't, and that's why he could think clearly.

"You'll only get yourself hurt. You might even make things worse for him." He said in a low voice. "Think, Cedric. We have to wait."

Cedric shook his head violently, not caring about the little sting there. "How much worse? They're already going to tear them apart. They're terrified, they need someone!"

He would try until he was incapable of trying anymore. With that in mind, he broke away, running at the barrier and flinging every destructive spell he knew wherever he saw it. He hurried to dodge any reflections of the curses, especially the ones that made a small explosion on contact.

He knew he'd be hurt badly, maybe even killed, but..maybe someone else would get through if it was weakened.

Sirius swore.

This was a terrible idea but he couldn't let Cedric do this alone. He got up and went after him, wand out. He was focused more on keeping Cedric in one piece than bringing down the barrier. He knew from the way the Daligig had shrugged off Cedric's earlier spells there was no way he could bring it down. They'd need more than the two of them working together.

One of the Kessek deflects one of Cedric's stunning spells right into Sirius. Another rushes up to Cedric and beats him, again, down into the ground. And, for added emphasis, steps on the hand holding the wand until bones splinter.

"Do not make me injure you further."

Even Cedric can see that he's powerless to do anything more without magic. Tears well up in his eyes at the pain, and he drops the weapon. Not that he has much control of his hand anymore anyway.

He looks up at the equally helpless Howard and Orc and swallows a sob. They're going to have so much worse than a broken hand.

It's going to be an awful view from down here.

Buy a Little Mercy [Open; Potentially Graphic Material]

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