Lt JG Yael - The Rush of Adrenaline
kaycieekeith
((Miranda Station - Terra Primes Paddy Wagon))
DeVeau: You got this?
Ashley didn’t respond. He just kept the pedal to the floor… 60kph… 90kph… 120kph… he heard her, but didn’t really *hear* her.
DeVeau: Ash…
Up ahead, lights beamed at them, bright, warning that something was coming - and they were hedging toward it at high speed.
DeVeau: Ash!
He slammed on the brakes. The transport skidded to a stop, veering slightly to one side before coming to a full stop with a jerk. It was an unceremonious stop to a short and unceremonious first attempt at driving a land-based vehicle, for the nearly-panicked Denobulan.
Weapons, framed beneath bright lights.
Lots and lots of weapons, pointed at the vehicle.
The crunch of bones was still echoing in the Denobulans ears as he stared unblinking into the array of weapons pointed right at them. Angry voices shouted at them to exit the vehicle. He didn't move. Not when Alora kicked the side of the transport, and not when she spoke again.
DeVeau: Better do what they say. Move slowly. Don’t give them any reason to shoot.
Bailey: Play innocent. I’m not going anywhere.
DeVeau: Just do what they say. Don’t resist.
The Denobulan didn’t chime in, staring ahead at the lights, transfixed. He barely breathed, and his tight grip on the steering wheel only tightened, his knuckles whitening.
Alora opened her door, and still he didn’t move.
DeVeau: Ash.
Murky. The shouting of the Terra Prime solders and Alora’s comments muddied together for one last moment, the light blindingly bright, the Denobu-deer frozen in their intensity. The world seemed to be moving in slow motion, so none of the words made sense. Then, Alora’s sharper exclamation broke through his stupor.
DeVeau: Ash!
Finally the world seemed to SNAP back into proper speed, and his head snapped to look at the Commander.
Right. He couldn’t check out of reality. Not here. Not now.
Amethyst eyes turned to look toward the lights again, cognizant once more.
Bailey: Shhh...Shhh...Everything is going to be okay. We are going to be okay. Play innocent though. Pretend you’re confused about what just happened. That might just get them to want to work with us.
Yael: Confused…?
No need to pretend. He *was* confused. Did Sheila have a plan?
DeVeau: Get out. Slowly. Keep your hands where they can see them. ::The disruptor...it was one of the small, hand held kind, easy to whip out quickly. Easy to hide. Alora took her hand off the door and slipped it beneath her shirt, tucked it into her pants, then quickly arranged her clothes so they were loose and hid the weapon. Then she opened the door, raised her hands and stepped out of the vehicle::
Ashley made to mimic Alora’s motions, but he wasn’t fully *braining* again just yet. The disruptor he’d procured when he’d snapped the mans neck was in his jacket pocket.
*SNAP*
He heard it again in his mind. The body would still be beside the road not far behind them.
Terra Prime: Out! Out now! We don’t have all day! ::The man motioned Alora and Ashley out of the vehicle with a wave of their weapon::
Yael: ::finally managing a cognizant sentence, he spoke loudly and with as much of an “I’m being obedient” tone as he could, while he lifted his hands above his head much like Alora did:: We’re cooperating. Don’t shoot.
Boots rushing, armed men taking hold again. They weren’t searched this time… the soldiers were aggressive but not well organized, and assumed they’d already been disarmed. Small favors as they were very roughly and forcibly guided back to the hold, and shoved up and into the transport.
Terra Prime: Now keep your trap shut or I’ll climb back there and shoot.
Yael: ::not loud enough for the soldiers to hear:: … caught again…
Had he done that? He’d panicked. Panicked good and hard.
Still was actually. There was a grinding anxiety piercing through his gut. But he was internalizing it somewhat better now. Time was no longer going in slow-mo.
DeVeau: I know. We’ll be all right.
Bailey: ::voice high pitched:: Sir, sir. I don’t feel so good. What’s going on? We really need to talk to Malefic.
Terra Prime: ::a growl in his voice:: You’ll see him soon enough. Now shut up.
The doorway slammed shut and the vehicle lurched forward again… Ashley didn’t bother getting up from where he’d been sprawled on the floor. He only pushed up, sitting, and bracing himself against the wall in silence. Somehow he could hear the air of each breath he took scratching down his esophagus. He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears.
Illusionary symptoms. Panic responses. It was the adrenaline. Hyper-aware of small stimuli... he'd been here before. He'd *felt* this before. Somehow, he was able to look down at himself, see him feeling it again... and removing his consciousness into a separate intangible entity helped him contain the panic response. His breathing slowed.
He stared into the semi-dark around him, at nothing, as he replayed the last several minutes on a hyperloop in his mind. Had that really happened? How had he done that? What could have possibly possessed him to kick a mans head? Just because it would work? He’d not even *thought* about it before just *doing* it.
Was that what he really was now?
Or was it a fluke spawned of desperation?
What the hell *was* he?
DeVeau: ?
The doorway spilled open, and more soldiers aimed weapons right at them. There would be no resistance now, not here.
Terra Prime: Walk! We’re leaving.
Roughly, with absolutely no regard for them, they were moved into a large circular room within the confines of a circle of supposedly military officers, in mismatched uniforms and wearing Terra Prime patches. The ceiling was far above them, with exposed guts and beams and piping running through it almost haphazardly.
When they reached the center, one of the soldiers shoved him into the nearest seat, and pushed the tip of a disruptor into his middle back to remind him to cooperate. Which he did, unfailingly. He put up NO fight, said not one word. One wrong move, one iota of disrespect or attitude, and they would be *ended.*
The guard walking Sheila let her remain standing as she continued the confused act.
Bailey: What’s going on? Where are we? ::Sheila put a hand to her forehead:: Oh, my head.
DeVeau: ?
The Denobulan eyed her with concern. Was she really hurt? If she wasn’t, she was putting on a good act.
Terra Prime: You’re going to cooperate. Sit! Who set off those bombs?
Bailey: What bombs? I.. I don’t know what you are talking about. We only want to talk to Malefic. ::Innocent:: Do you know him?
DeVeau: ?
Still the Denobulan said nothing. Did nothing. He only breathed.
Terra Prime: He is none of your concern! Answer the question!
Bailey: I’m sorry. My head hurts. Think I’m going to be sick. Could we please just talk to Malefic?
DeVeau: ?
Ashley was trying to think of how he could at least help guide the situation, but kept his mouth shut… he would make it worse, undoubtedly.
Terra Prime: ::grunting in annoyance, then barking out:: Which one of you is the leader?
DeVeau: ?
Terra Prime: What was your plan? What were you trying to do?
DeVeau: ?
The soldier groaned in annoyance, completely untaken in by Aloras answer. Meanwhile, another soldier approached them carrying a scanning device. Coming to within a few feet he scanned Sheila first… it was a medical tricorder of sorts, but he didn’t care if she was hurt. He only cared to confirm she was Elaysian. Then he moved closer to Alora, scanning as well.
Ashley knew what was coming as the soldier moved closer to him. He didn’t make eye contact, but could see the scanner in his peripheral vision, and noted the pause as the soldier read the data. Then turned and started walking away as he rather loudly hollered out…
Terra Prime Medic: We got a live one!
Murmurs in the crowd. There was a Human hybrid in their midst.
As the hushed conversation died down, another soldier received a message on his communication device, and then he whispered in the leaderships ear.
Terra Prime: Seems you’ll get your wish after all. ::there was a pause, and he smiled a very disconcerting smile:: You’ve been invited to dinner with His Supremacy. ::then, to the lower level soldiers, barking loudly:: Get them out of here! NOW.
No one kept the Executor waiting.
~*~
Lieutenant JG Ashley Yael
Counselor
Starbase 118 Ops
C238211TZ0