Quando Judex Est Venturus

[Xena Amonali]

The touch of [member="Darth Carnifex"] against her arm was spine chilling. She tried her best to shy away from him, though really the nerve rack didn't allow for that much movement. She grit her teeth a bit as he pinched at her bicep, the bruise that formed was visible for a few moments before it faded back to the same hue as her skin.

"What does it matter to you?" Fear lead the blind courage growing within her, spurring her to try and resist with what little energy she had left. Letting out a low, animal like growl Xena barred her teeth at Darth Carnifex. "You. Are not. Removing anything from me." She growled, straining herself against the binds that held her. Even if her mostly exhausted state made the efforts useless, it was still something. A small pulse of force energy came off from Xena during her efforts, one that felt like a gust of wind had just went past both Darth Carnifex and [member="Irajah Ven"]. It wasn't enough to make them stumble, but it did cause the medical cart and some of the instruments in the room to rattle a bit. After the quick pulse, Xena lowered back down again, panting hard.

A clear mind was required, something she couldn't manage in her current state. She needed to bide her time, build herself back up to get free. The strained pulse did provide her with some nice feedback though, she could use the force. Even if it was heavily draining and extremely hard, she could do it. All she needed was time, though something told her that time was not on her side.

 

[Kuzo]

"I am a doctor," Irajah said flatly. "Not a butcher."

Drawing herself up tall meant literally nothing. At five foot even, Doctor Ven would never been considered intimidating. Especially not in this particular company. Fortunately that wasn't her aim. She understood the risk in refusal. She couldn't stop him if he wanted to do such a thing- she knew that with the weight of a thousand suns in her core. But she would not help [member="Darth Carnifex"] either.

They both knew that he didn't need her help for such an action. [member="Xena Amonali"]'s healing made Irajah's presence largely superfluous. Turning deliberately, she continued to clean up her tools.

The breeze startled her, and she glanced up, brow furrowed. She didn't have the training or the ability yet to sense what it had come from, it just seemed wholly out of place in the cell. Odd.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

His eyes narrowed, "Your compliance is not required, Doctor Ven."

He cast a sideways glance at [member="Irajah Ven"], his eyes like daggers, before he fixated his gaze back on [member="Xena Amonali"] right as she expelled a small quantity of Force energy in her struggles. It didn't entirely surprise the Dark Lord that she was capable of such displays, he had already sensed the Force's influence in her rejuvenation, but this now confirmed that she was able to channel the Force to some extent.

All the more reason to conduct more gruesome tests upon her to discern what exactly makes her special beyond others of her species, and to harness it for his own gain.

"Struggle all you want, little worm, it is futile. This is where the light comes to die."

 

[Xena Amonali]

"We'll see about that..." A heavily defiant tone coming from the girl. Xena held back her surprise though when she observed the defiance coming from [member="Irajah Ven"]. She wasn't sure why, but something in her mind had set the petite woman as someone who was complaisant and subservient to [member="Darth Carnifex"], someone who wouldn't dare to defy the imposing sith for fear of backlash. Yet there she was, standing up for what she believed in, her own values.

Xena couldn't help but crack the smallest, genuine smile. Partially for thanks to Irajah and partially to show a small bit of hope that grew inside of her. It didn't last long before she forcibly wiped it from her face, working on mentally preparing her tired mind for the task at hand. Build up enough energy, enough drive, to break free. For now, she waited and examined everything she could. Her golden eyes swept across the room making note of any vents, specific tools, how many doors there were and even how many lights were affixed inside of the room. She knew deep in her mind that this was not going to be an easy challenge, she just hoped that she was up for it when the time came.

 

[Kuzo]

Irajah stood back, her position and [member="Darth Carnifex"]'s switched. She knew better than to leave without being dismissed- and that rankled normally. But right now, she really had no interest in leaving. Not because she wanted to see what was about to happen, but because as long as she was here then maybe there was something she could do to keep it from being as bad as..... it had the potential to be.

[member="Xena Amonali"] 's defiance brought a ghost of a proud smile to her face, but she stifled it swiftly.

What influence could she direct here, in this room at this time? She didn't know.

But unless she was dismissed, and had no choice, she would stay.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Indeed we shall."

He turned to the nerve rack's control panel a meter or so away from the actual device, and with a few simple taps activated the machine and gradually increased the amount of electrical energy being directly delivered to [member="Xena Amonali"]'s nerves from zero to thirty milliamps. That amount of power being pumped directly into the body would rather painful, and could cause a loss of muscle control. He held that level of power for a good thirty seconds or so before letting it gradually dip away back to zero.

"Do you think your defiance means anything, girl? Resist all you want, your soul is mine."

He cranked up the power beyond thirty milliamps, going as high as one hundred-and-fifty milliamps to deliver an extremely painful electrical shock to Xena's nerves. Respiratory arrest and severe muscle contractions were probably when such power was being circulated through your body, visible sparks of electricity dancing across your flesh to blacken the flesh and calcify the bones.

[member="Irajah Ven"]​

 

[Xena Amonali]

The first shock wasn't too bad. Sure her muscles were seizing up and it hurt, but it wasn't too bad. In her mind she rationalised that she had experienced worse. Xena felt that if she could bide her time, she would get past this. [member="Darth Carnifex"] wouldn't turn the current up higher right?

Oh how she had never been so wrong in her life.

Xena grit her teeth to push herself past the primary shock. Small groans of pain came from the girl who was holding out like a trooper. She tried her best to regain her breath as the towering dark lord lowered the current back down to nothing. Each breath she took ached from the amount of effort it took to prevent her diaphragm from spasming out of control. Her small moment of respite was a rapidly fading daydream as a whole new type of agony filled her mind. The rising current surged through ever part of her form, causing each of her nerves to rapidly fire one after the other, the sudden tidal wave of pain washed past what control she thought she had. The only thing the girl to akin the new feeling to was like regrowing a new limb, only times 1000. Most of the muscles in her body seized up as she lost complete control of them. A choked, animal like, scream came from her, tearing at her throat as her diaphragm tightened up. It left her bug eyed trying to gasp for air to no avail. Tears started to stream down from only to be evaporated on the spot by the arcing current that raked across her compact form. Each arc left charred flesh in its wake, putrid burning stench began to fill the room before being whisked away by the ventilation system.

The second shock felt like it lasted an eternity, Xena tried her best to stay conscious but she could feel herself drifting. The nearby heart monitor began to beep rapidly as her heart rate began to spike to dangerous levels due to its environment.. Each pulse of the large current made her body twitch and jump in its binds, wearing away at the skin around her ankles and wrists. She tries to cry out for help and mercy, but no words came to her. It hadn't taken long either but a stray spark managed to hit her hair, singeing along part of her scalp unless it was stopped, the girl's decently long black hair began to fall back onto the table as it was slowly burned away in patches.

Her eyes grew unfocused and distant as unconsciousness clawed at her being, willing her to fall into its dark embrace. In spite its tantalising offer she managed to stay conscious, fading in and out at random intervals.

Though hell for her would be the results desired for another. Even with the electricity destroying her cells, her body was still working to reverse the effects and rebuild itself. Under the charred skin a thin bit of silver scar tissue could be seen before it was once more blackened by the violent sparks.

[member="Irajah Ven"]​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

After a third and final shock he let the current fall back to zero, flushing out the excess electricity in the system by letting it course through [member="Xena Amonali"]'s body. The air was laden with the stench of burning flesh, singed hair, and the oily taste of ozone. The rate at which her body repaired itself was fascinating, and the Dark Lord found himself entrance by the regenerative properties. This was a better find than he had ever hoped to acquire by detaining this violator of his law, and she had in turn delivered unto him a boon that she would have never gifted him willingly.

At another touch of a button an articulated limb descended from the multi-purpose medical bulb that hung from the ceiling directly above the rack, and at his will it produced several delicate tools that were made to separate flesh from muscle in the most precise method possible. No doubt there would be pain from such a sudden and invasive action, but it was nothing compared to what the Dark Lord had already put this girl through. The arm sliced off a small patch of Xena's skin, and deposited it into a transparent glass tube before sealing it with a black metal cap. It then held it out to Carnifex who gingerly accepted it and momentarily studied it before he pressed another button on the machine to send another wave of electrical energy through Xena's body.

It was at that moment that the door to the chamber opened, and a petite Tionese woman wearing a dark blue Imperial Officer's uniform entered followed closely by a black-plated S1 Medical Droid. The woman hurried past [member="Irajah Ven"], casting a snide glare at her as she bowed before Carnifex who offered the glass tube. "Take this to Vain Hollow for further testing, see if you can harness the unique regenerative cells. I have use for them."

She bowed, accepted the object, and quickly turned to hurry out of the chamber all while Xeno continued to be subject to mass quantities of electrical currents.

 

[Xena Amonali]

Xena probably would have protested loud about [member="Darth Carnifex"] taking a sample of her flesh, if only her mind hadn't been partially numbed by the sheer pain that the current had caused. She manged a few words before the sith lord turned up the current again, "Please.... Stop.. I.. I can't take anymore." Somewhere in her mind, she knew that she was just preaching to the choir and her request would fall on deaf ears. She even tried giving the officer a look that said "Please. Help me" but she knew nothing would come from it.

The final shock grew to be too much for the girl to handle, her eyes drifted over to [member="Irajah Ven"], begging and pleading with her to help. She felt it once again fall onto deaf ears. Blood started to spill out from her nose as vessels burst from the constant excruciating current. Xena's golden eyes drifted up a bit to look at the ceiling before her entire body just slumped forwards. Unconsciousness sweeping across her entire form like a tidal wave. The electricity kept her animated though, her muscles spasming randomly and making her move on her own. It was clear though that they had hit her limit, for now.

With her mind resting, her body went into overdrive, transferring as much energy as it could to just healing. The square chunk of flesh that was removed started repair itself, it looked as if something was bubbling up from it before the whole opening finally set with a telltale silver scar. As time went on her healing began to slow down until it was barely noticeable. The damage was reappearing faster then she could heal it and her body was starting to run out of energy to take. Her heartbeat, though still quick, started to slow down as her body tried to frantically keep itself running. Blood dripped down from the girls hanging head, pooling on the ground and flowing off into the drains. The air was heavy with the stench of burning, ozone and the heavy metallic scent of blood.

She just hoped that this was all just some nightmare, and she would wake from it soon. The "Dreams" she had in her unconsciousness were growing tainted by the darkside that was omnipresent on the world. Slowly shadowing the light that burned within the girl.