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

[meat_mooks]

"Then this is the last time I'll ignore you." Yavek sniffs and turns back to his captives. One of the Kessek snorts and steps closer to Ranulf, trying to push him away from the leader without actually touching him.

[catoutofwater]

Well. These guys clearly had no public relations skills whatsoever. Ranulf stood his ground as the Kessek started to crowd him; he wasn't going to just back down quietly like a good little crewmember, not when the Daligig were intent on torturing children as a demonstration of power. That could not, under any circumstances, be allowed to happen, and if reasoning with them wouldn't work, well... he'd just have to resort to more extreme measures.

"You can try to ignore me all you want," he said to Yavek, his body emanating a blue glow as it took on the form of a large, lithe cat. "But don't expect me to make it easy for you."

With that, he growled and launched himself in a powerful leap at the pushy Kessek, claws bared. He needed to get this one out of the way first, then he could focus on Yavek.

[meat_mooks]

The Kessek strikes back, with ludicrous power, enough that if the blow connects it will send Ranulf flying across the room. Yavek scuttles behind a second bodyguards, drawing his own weapon and setting it to stun.

[catoutofwater]

And send Ranulf flying it did; fortunately he didn't land on top of anyone. Even more fortunate that those of the beast tribe were very resilient, and that Ranulf personally was well accustomed to being struck with things like swords and axes and lightning bolts. He could handle a few blows... granted, not too many. That Kessek was ridiculously strong--he'd have to be more careful.

Now then, let's try that again.

Getting to his feet, he gave his head a quick shake, then with another growl he darted swiftly through the crowd back toward the Kessek. He didn't slow as he reached his target, tensing as if to pounce again... but rather than attacking straight on, he leapt to the side and kept going, intent on getting behind his opponent. It was a tactic he'd seen the wolves use frequently, and Ranulf's best assets in battle had always been his tremendous speed and agility; if a wolf could do it, surely he could too.

[meat_mooks]

The Kessek respond to Ranulf's tactic, going in groups back to back. He won't be able to get any from behind. The swipe at him with their hands as he goes by them.

[catoutofwater]

Clever. All right, so he couldn't attack them from behind. He could still get around them, though. And it wasn't really the Kessek he needed to stop, anyway... Yavek appeared to be the one calling the shots here. He needed to be the primary target.

Ranulf dodged a powerful swipe, leapt out of the way of another, and retaliated with a lightning-quick swipe of his own, claws bared, before dashing around the nearest group of Kessek in an effort to reach and pounce upon the one Yavek was currently cowering behind.

[meat_mooks]

That's when Stacy intervenes. Her tentacles lash out from every surface, pinning Ranulf spread-eagle against the ground. A needle emerges from the tip of one and starts to sedate Ranulf.

[catoutofwater]

Damn it--so close! Ranulf struggled against the tentacles, snarling and managing to sink his fangs into the nearest one, but to no avail; their hold on him didn't loosen in the least. He didn't even register the prick of the needle, but the drowsiness that quickly came upon him had him wondering, as his body relaxed against his will and his mind began to fog, if he'd been placed under a Sleep spell.

Ah... I tried... He turned his cloudy gaze to the two youths trapped within the forcefield before his eyelids became too heavy for him to keep open. ...Sorry. And he went limp, reverting to his usual form moments later as he lost any last hold on consciousness.