Page 7 of Beast Unburdened

Since I hadn’t moved from my spot on the cot, frozen in place, he moved his hand to his belt where the pain controller to my collar dangled. “Hurry up or don’t,” he smirked and I slid to my feet, not in the least interested in getting to feel the effects of that pain collar for myself. Maybe that was cowardly but on the other hand, I reasoned, just sitting in this cell wasn’t going to provide me with very many chances for escape.

I left the blanket on the cot and the scalpel folded inside it. I was worried that if I took it with me it would be discovered and I had no chance fighting off the muscled Krektar without help. Maybe, when Ziame came back to the cell tonight, I could use the scalpel to get off his collar.

So unarmed I stepped out of the cell, straightening my wrinkled power suit as I did so and holding my chin up high. On my high heels and with my height, I was just as tall as the Krektar escorting me and I could tell from the way he eyed me up and down as we walked that this intrigued him.

The halls we traversed were as dirty and creepy as before and now that I knew this was previously a pirate ship it made more sense. Probably it wasn’t just dirty and neglected-looking, those smears on the walls might very well be remains of this ship’s previous owners.

Luckily the Krektar took me to the medical room where I’d woken up without another word and without touching me. Inside was the anthracite male who’d given me my translator tech but otherwise, the room was empty.

He nodded once at me and then focused his creepy completely black eyes on my Krektar escort. “Thank you for bringing her Thonklad, wait outside, this is going to make you squeamish.” The guard, Thonklad wasn’t one I’d seen previously and he appraised me for a second and then the doctor before he nodded. “I’m right outside, if I hear anything I don’t like I’m pressing the control for both your collars!” he threateningly pointed at the remote on his belt again and then he turned and strode out of the medical room; the door sliding shut behind him.

The doctor gave a long sigh and then gestured around at the immaculate place, which was a far cry from what I’d seen of the rest of the ship. “Welcome to the medbay aboard the Caratoa 2.0. I am Doctor Surgeon Lukalyn Nerizana, sadly currently owned by the crimelord Drameil.”

Oh, introductions… Huh, here he had me freaking out about what kind of procedure he was going to put me through that would make the Krektar squeamish. I actually darted my eyes at the door for a moment to make sure the guard was really gone before I raised a questioning eyebrow at the Doc. “Really? Introductions? After you threaten me with scary procedures?”

He had just been gesturing for me to sit down on the medical cot but immediately dropped his hand, shoulders slumping beneath the immaculate white coat. “Right, I see now how that came across. My apologies.”

Then his creepy eyes darted to the door as well, “Thing is, Thonklad is on the young side for a Krektar to be serving Drameil, only thirteen cycles. I’m told his previous commission was on a merchant’s vessel that saw very little action. He’s still very squeamish about a lot of things.” “Thirteen! He’s just a kid?” I demanded, shocked since he’d appeared fully grown like all the others.

Now the doctor shook his head, “No fully grown I assure you. Krektar life cycles are fairly short, thirty cycles thereabouts. Just a little less experienced than the others aboard the vessel.” He picked up a hand device of some kind, it looked a little like one of those price tag scanners in a supermarket. “Now, please sit on the cot so I can make sure you’re in good health, I promise no injections and no scary procedures.”

I looked at him for a while longer, making sure he was sincere, and then shrugged and sat down where he indicated. It was silent for a while as he ran the scanner over me and checked his readings. Eventually, it occurred to me the doctor might well know far more about the ship than Ziame and I could find out from our damn cell or the gym.

“So… Can you say your name again? I think I missed it… I’m Abigail by the way.” Okay as far as olive branches go this one sucked but that didn’t seem to matter to the Doc. His face broke out in a smile, he was so pretty when he did that that it took my breath away just for a moment. Only the scary eyes marred that picture. Geez, whoever gave him those killer cheekbones sure knew what they were doing.

“Abigail, thank you. My name is Doctor Surgeon Lukalyn Nerizana.” He beamed some more and I actually found the straight white teeth and the superhuman features covered in that oddly glittering anthracite skin a little disconcerting. Maybe Ziame had already grown on me because somehow his fanged grin was more reassuring than the good doctor’s smile.

“That’s a mouthful…” I heard myself say, rude! But the doctor just nodded, “Oh I heard humans like to shorten names, it’s a sign of friendship! Would you like to shorten my name?” My god this guy was upbeat and cheerful, it really was a little strange and he clearly thought that if I shortened his name that meant we were friends.

“How about Luka?” I offered and he nodded his head, black silky hair swinging forward over his shoulder. “And call me Abby alright?” “Abby! I’m most grateful. I truly hope you can forgive me for yesterday’s barbaric surgery.”

I wasn’t certain if I could do that but he’d brought it up several times, once right after the surgery even. Thinking about it some more I remembered how he’d given me the scalpel and warned me, hadn’t he? I eyed the collar on his neck, he was a slave too. They’d even demonstrated the use of the collar on him, without a single warning. He wasn’t holding that against me.

“Forget about it,” I said with a wave of my hand. “You had no choice did you?” His eyes closed at my words and he sighed, “Correct. I have been conscripted into service as of sixty-seven months ago.” He tapped the collar around his neck. “I will do all I can to make you comfortable, to keep you healthy Abby. Please, did the Beast harm you? The scans are good but that doesn’t say everything...”

His eyes darted to my belly, or was that my crotch? “He’s not so bad as the Krektar make him out to be… I’m sure he’s not…” He sounded so worried that I shrugged, “It was alright Luka, I’m okay.” He nodded, “Okay, that’s good.”

He sat down on a rolling chair then, “I’ll keep you here as long as possible. It’s warmer here than in the cells and I worried you’d get too cold without the Beast keeping you warm.” Oh… He really just wanted to make sure I was okay, he’d been worried and he’d clearly had enough power to get me out of the cell for some time. I was grateful to be in a warm room instead of that freezing cell.

“Can you tell me how many Krektar are on board? How many guards?” I asked. I could immediately tell I’d surprised him but then he tilted his head a little sideways and nodded. “You are thinking of escaping?”

I shrugged, “I gotta try Luka.” He held his breath a long moment, those freaky eyes fastened to my face. “Alright, I’ll tell you what I can.”

Chapter 4

Ziame

Abigail was waiting for me on the cot when we returned from the gym, I was infinitely relieved to see her. Which meant I felt free to act out a little; having been compliant nearly the entire day. I appraised the four Krektar escorting my fellow gladiators and me back to our cells. Ah, that was good to see, the newest recruit was among them, he’d probably fumble when I made a ruckus.

I weighed my options for a quick moment. Would they do something to Abigail if I hurt another guard? They hadn’t last time and I knew they truly thought I was practically a mindless beast, incapable of speech. When the damn crime lord and his flunkies managed to capture me I’d made such a spectacle fighting they hadn’t realized what I really was. They hadn’t even bothered to try and equip me with translator-tech the way they did most other slaves, a slave who understood your orders was quicker to obey after all.

Thankfully I had my own tech installed and it was far superior to the tech that was standard in the universe. My translator tech was neural and worked for the written as well as the spoken word, it adapted and learned new languages on the fly. The tech they had brutally put in my Abigail only worked for the languages in their database and sometimes faultily at that. I’d have to rectify that as soon as I could get my hands on the right stuff.

Now I kept track of the four guards and the remaining gladiators. I figured I could maybe frighten the nearby two enough for them to back into some of the others, they’d possibly do the work for me without putting Abigail at risk of reprisal.

I waited till the last moment, when the two in the cells nearest to me were only just stepping in and I was nearest my own cell. Then I swiveled my head, snorted in a deep gust of air, and let my lungs do their trick, oxygenating that air hard on the exhale. My fire-starter clicked in my throat as a warning and then the exhale caught fire.

My aim was perfect. The cone of flame sprayed right between the two Krektar at my back and they hastily jumped out of the way. And just as I’d hoped their frantic leap out of the way landed them right into the arms of Sunder and the wiry, scrawny Geramor of the blue fur.