Buy a Little Mercy [Open; Potentially Graphic Material]

[cityship]

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.

Comments

Re: REACTIONS

[meat_mooks]

The Kessek don't wait for Erhart to attack. The recognize the threat when they see it, and three of them lunge at the Space Mehreen Marine.

Re: REACTIONS

[swordofdorn]

The lunge is met with a thunderous counter-charge, shoulder lowered as he tries to send the first sprawling to the floor with a body-check, preparing to sweep out the Black Blade if the first is knocked down, meeting their assault with a deadly figure 8 whirl of the powered blade. (Assuming the first was stopped by the body check)

He roars with earsplitting volume from his augmented helm speakers a Black Templar oath, "O Emperor, in wrath rejoicing at bloody wars, fierce and untamed, whose mighty power doth make the strongest walls from their foundations shake. All-conquering Master of Mankind, be pleased with this war's tumultuous roar. Delight in swords and fists red with alien blood, and the dire ruins of savage battle. Rejoice in furious challenge, and avenging strife, whose works with woe embitter human life!"

His words as he fights for the life of Howard, and somewhat less-so for Orc. Human life, nigh brought to an end by Xenos. Never. They profane his creed, his soul, his very nature simply by suggesting it. There will be no pity, and no remose from his this day. And no mercy.

Re: REACTIONS

[meat_mooks]

The first Kessek Erhart hits does indeed go sliding across the floor, out of the fight for the moment. The second blocks the blade with her wrist armor, and although the blade does not go through, the expression of pain on her reptilian face indicates that the attack cut through more than just metal. She slams her fist upwards into an uppercut, looking to hit Erhart in the vital organs.

Stacy, sensing that sooner or later either Erhart or one of the Kessek will be killed, shoots her tentacles out and grabs them, enveloping each in a cocoon of her flesh. She starts sedating Erhart immediately.

[swordofdorn]

Erhart seems to be fighting the sedation, his own powered armor unleashing strong stimulants into his system, writhing in the tentacles, trying to get to the Kessek to choke the life out of the reptilian xenos, froth coming out of his mouth.