The Darkness (Tschov Bolyn)

[Ak'lya]

The room was dark, an oppressive blackness that swallowed thoughts and sound. There was no light to see by. The room was silent, any noise that could leak in from outside would be minimal. Without anything to tell the time by, most people would loose track of how much time had passed. hours crawled by like days, days like weeks. In the total darkness, strapped to the chair, the prisoner would be helpless. They had learned to keep her restrained.

As Nat watched on the UV camera, she frowned. "What do we know?"

"She's an Anzat. Tried killing off one of the Knights. They handed her over to us to see if we could pump her for info." She nodded, quietly picked up a datapad, tapped a few thing on the screen, and began to walk down the hallway.

The light from the hallway behind her was no doubt blinding as she stepped into Tschov's cell. A side effect of the total darkness.

"You are reported to have attacked a Scion of the Confederacy." Her tone was flat. "For that, I should have you killed." Cold green eyes stared at the woman, illuminated by the light of the opened door. Careful, deliberate steps carried her out of the light's path, forcing the Anzat to see the light in full force. After the day they had kept her in the dark, it should be blinding.

[member="Tschov Bolyn"]

 

[Tschov Bolyn]

The first time Tschov escaped the mediocre bindings, she'd toyed with the guard. The second time, it was a test of power, her hardly getting more than a snack and a glimpse of the unfortunate soul's memories of the compound before reinforcements arrived. Unfortunately, they'd learned to better restrain her before there could be a third time.

The darkness was maddening, even for the hunter so attuned to the shadows. After all, there were no shadows to be had without a light as a source. There was little beat, no melody to pass the time, to turn her senses toward. No, there was nothing to focus on other than her growing hunger and the madness it inspired.

Blinded by the sudden light, Tschov hissed, head snapping to the side, eyes squeezing shut. There was no time to adjust to the light, the newcomer moving and exposing the assassin to even more light before she could adjust. "Someone will die, regardless," she hissed in response, not sounding remotely apologetic. If anything, she seemed bored, ready to strike the moment she was free. Anything to satisfy that maddening hunger. "Can I be blamed for a few credits in the process?"

​

[member="Natasha Darkstar"]​

 

[Ak'lya]

As the cell door slowly began to close, Natasha stood next to the gunnery where Tschov was strapped. She knew the coming darkness would be welcome to the anzat. She also knew it wouldn't last. "Interesting." She said simply, studying the woman. No remorse. Simply a predator, waiting for her next meal.

"It matters because it's gotten you the days in this cell. If you don't cooperate, I can arrange for that to be weeks. And don't expect to be fed." She frowned as the door shut, sealing them in the room. "No one who would care knows where you are."

She stepped away, moving to fiddle with something in the total darkness. It seemed the human has some training or memory of the room. Either that, or she could see in the dark. Whichever it was, the Anzat would hear a clicking, and then silence.

"I have some questions. Answer them, and I'll consider letting you go. Refuse, and, well..." She paused, and a spotlight switched on, shining directly into the prisoner's face. "I get to see how long it takes for an anzat to starve."

[member="Tschov Bolyn"]

 

[Tschov Bolyn]

With the light disappearing, Tschov slumped back into the bindings. Not out of defeat, no. This was calculated, the presence of another reigniting that spark of the hunt, guiding her wrists as she fiddled with the restraints away from the woman.

Returning to darkness was both a comfort and a curse, it being far less painful than the light, but after countless hours in it, it was almost just as agonizing in a different respect. She could hear the fiddling, letting it mask her own fiddling with the restraints.

The sudden light brought forth another hiss, this one pained, Tschov jerking violently against the restraints. "You'd get bored, human," she sneered, staring the woman down as best she could, giving the light. Still, she'd entertain the human if only to entertain herself. "Go on and ask your questions, I suppose. Though a snack would leave me more inclined to answer."

[member="Natasha Darkstar"]​

 

[Ak'lya]

"Bored? No, I'd just throw away the key." Natasha smiled. "Why would I sit here and wait? I have other things to do in the months that would take." Her eyes focused on the prisoner. Still resilient. Still defiant. Something to break.

Force, she hated this part of the job.

"You'll forgive me for not letting you murder someone else." The woman spoke with a calculated coldness. "Now, for my questions."

She stepped carefully behind the woman, speaking when she stood at the woman's back. "Who hired you to attack the Scion?"

[member="Tschov Bolyn"]

 

[Tschov Bolyn]

"And waste the guards and power to keep this cell still active? Hardly an effective use of resources." Even if she was forgotten about, the moment the guard on her cell dropped, she'd find a way to get out and feast on her captors.

"Then you'll have to forgive me as I've seem to have forgotten my clients." If there was nothing for Tschov to gain, she saw no reason to play along. Even as she said this, she fiddled with the restraints. It'd be a shame if she were to free herself after this interrogator - if that was what she was supposed to be - left. No, that'd be no good. It'd be like letting a perfectly good meal go free. "Surely the lives of one or two people would hardly matter in the - what do you people call it? The grand scheme of things?"

[member="Natasha Darkstar"]​

 

[Ak'lya]

"Maybe. But for someone like you?" Natasha gave a small smile. "It would be worth the time."

The grin dissipated at the woman's response. "I see." She flicked something behind the woman, out of site. This was going about as well as expected. If the assassin had given up her clients so easily, they would have no use for her. A knight wanted Justice. She'd have to throw the thing to the beast pits. As she connected a wire to the prisoner's gunnery, the idea of just killing her flickered through her mind. No, she needed the info. And she would get it. One way or another.

"Well, maybe this will jog your memory."

She pressed a button, sending a current of electricity through Tschov's body. She could only imagine the pain. Maybe it would help. Maybe not.

[member="Tschov Bolyn"]

 

[Tschov Bolyn]

"Someone like me?" A brow rose at that. "What have I possibly done to earn such treatment? They survived, did they not?"

Growing restless, Tschov pulled at the restraints with new fervor, pretending to try and keep an eye on her interrogator as to mask her true intentions. A bit more time fiddling and she could be in a position to free that arm. Why she hadn't already done so much earlier, she wasn't quite sure. Perhaps having someone else in the room had a large effect than anticipated. Strange, the interrogator didn't give that vibe most sentients did, almost like she was more droid than person. The observation was left on read, however, Tschov's hunger reigning over logic.

She wasn't ready for the electricity. No one ever was in these sort of situations. Giving a short cry of pain, she jerked against the restraints, the one she'd been working on giving far more wiggle room than the other. There were several moments after the shock before Tschov could speak, recovering from the sudden bout of electricity. Still, her resolve hadn't broken. If anything, she sounded more annoyed, less inclined to negotiate. "I've set my terms. Abide by them or be on your way."

[member="Natasha Darkstar"]​

 

[Ak'lya]

"Hmm." The sound came quietly in response. "You're surprising, you know that? Most people would have given in by now." The problem with torture was that it was too effective. Most people would say anything to stop the pain. It was sentient nature. But she was different. "And yes, they did survive. But what's relevant was that you were willing to attempt to kill them."

She walked around the Anzat, hearing a fizzling noise. The spotlight blinked out, and in a moment, the room was filled with a dull red glow. The power had failed, either from her shock therapy or some other fluke. No matter. She would work with it. "You know, I have very little reason to keep you alive. Even though you have information I need, the Knights don't care." She smiled, standing in front of the woman, bathed in a sinister red glow. "They'll simply tear the information from your mind and throw you to the beasts." Leaning forward, green eyes stared straight into her prisoner's. It was a challenge. Try me.

[member="Tschov Bolyn"]

 

[Tschov Bolyn]

"People die every day, meals have to be made. My willingness to kill anyone should hardly come as a surprise, especially if you claim to know what I am." She shrugged, a slight aftershock giving her a sudden shudder. "What's surprising is you seem to expect me to have any sort of empathy for livestock."

Just when things were getting a bit shocking, all of the sudden things were starting to look to be falling in Tschov's favor. With the power out there was no light to blind her, no electricity to distract her from freeing her restraints. Why, one could even argue that this would be a prime time for removing said restraints. With this also meant she was left alone with someone. Not her ideal first meal after a few days, no, but Tschov was more than happy to make do. She nearly laughed at the woman's stupidity of leaning forward, tendrils freeing themselves from their hidden pockets, ready to make their way to the brain and let the feast begin.

Wait...

There was an embarrassing long amount of time before it dawned on Tschov that there was a reason she didn't catch on to the woman's general feel. This was wrong, so wrong.

[member="Natasha Darkstar"]​

 

[Ak'lya]

A twisted smile of satisfaction crossed Natasha's face as the creature's feelers found only metal. There was something to be enjoyed about just how long the thing took to realize what it was dealing with. "I don't think you understand the gravity of your situation." Her voice was level, the cold steel that had met the Anzat's proboscis mirrored in her voice. "The specific piece of livestock you attacked has enough power to have you killed." she took a step closer. It must be weird, having something so similar to prey this close to your face and not being able to do anything about it. Careful hands moved to the strap on the prisoner's right arm, ratcheting the strap down tighter.

"But I don't want that. Not yet." The cold look in her eyes made much more sense now. "You see, even though the Knights want you dead, I cans till learn from you. And even if they could rip the facts from your skull..." The smile faded, and she leaned back. Almost as if on cue, the power came back on, the spotlight returning to Tschov's face as Natasha stepped to the side. "I've always found the old ways more fun."

[member="Tschov Bolyn"]

 

[Tschov Bolyn]

Slumping back in disgust, she let loose a huff of annoyance, both at herself and the situation. She should've been able to tell this was no human right from the beginning. Instead, she let her hunger get the best of her judgement. Truly, disgraceful. She glared up at Natasha, going from annoyed to just plain uncomfortable as her face got unreasonably close to Tschov's. Really, it was one thing to get up close to demonstrate that Tschov wouldn't be able to make a meal out of her. It was just plain rude to continue getting that close. Her glare increased in intensity, turning into daggers as the strap tightened on her wrist. Just when she was getting some headway...

"You mistake me for someone easy to crack," she hissed as the lights returned, snapping her eyes shut. "I've already laid out the terms in which I'm willing to give out information. Try as you wish, but until those demands are met, I see no reason to continue this conversation." What could be so hard about fulfilling a simple request? It wasn't like she was demanding a force sensitive as a sacrifice to the Silent Voices. She'd take anyone at the moment.

[member="Natasha Darkstar"]​

 

[Ak'lya]

"Very well." There was a tone of disappointment in her voice, the hints of it seeping into her words. "We'll see how you feel in a few weeks." And with that, she would leave, plunging Tschov into total darkness.

Days would pass like weeks in the black room, with no way to tell the time but the gnawing hunger in her belly. When Natasha did return, it was days, not weeks later, and when the woman appeared asleep. Part of her wondered if the prisoner would be awoken by the sound of the opening door. Still, if she didn't the familiar return of the spotlight would be enough to rouse the dead.

"How are you feeling?" Her voice was cold, cruel. "You must be hungry by this point." She tapped a button, and a quiet hum filled the room. "Tell me what I want to know, and you'll be fed."

[member="Tschov Bolyn"]

 

[Tschov Bolyn]

"Make no mistake, you'll regret keeping me waiting," Tschov declared, realizing this meeting was being cut short. "At the end of the day, you're another day older. I have time to spare."

Returned to darkness, days and nights became meaningless as Tschov was forced to wait in sullen silence. There was not change in her isolation, no contact with the outside world. All she had was herself, and that was far good company. With each hour that passed, her hunger became more and more of a gnawing pain at her side. She was in no danger of dying, not yet, but the hunger was maddening.

What felt like weeks later, the door opened once more. At this point, Tschov was weak from hunger, giving no indication of noticing the other being until the light turned back on, drawing a hiss. The promise of food was almost too tempting, prompting the Anzat to raise her head, staring up at the interrogator. "And how am I to trust that?"

[member="Natasha Darkstar"]​

 

[Ak'lya]

"You can't, really." The voice seemed almost off, robotic. "But what other choice do you have? Are you stubborn enough to simply starve yourself on principle?" The Human Replica Droid seemed almost enjoying the interaction. "Now, who do you work for?" Her eyes studied the prisoner, making note of her responces. Anzati assassin... they could use that. Maybe some sort of cranial implant to keep them in line? Something to think about.

"Do you even remember what it feels like?" The question hung in the air, as if tempting the prisoner to grasp for it. "Just tell me what I need to know. It's not that hard, espically if you don't want to spend another week in here." A metal hand rested itself on the woman's shoulder, its weight almost more than seemed natural. Her eyes burned blue in the dim room.

This would be an interesting session.

[member="Tschov Bolyn"]

 

[Tschov Bolyn]

"Do I look stupid enough to answer questions without a guarantee I'll benefit from it?" She rose a brow, turning her chilling gaze to the replica droid. As hungry as she was, she couldn't resist her typical quips. The droid had a point, sure, and she was absolutely ravenous. She sighed, "I work for myself," She said, not so much as blinking. "If you don't like it, take it up with the darknet. Surely you know how things go around there, right?"

"You're going to have to be more specific. Do I remember what what feels like? The kill? The sweet sensation of taking in their soup?" She inhaled, as if reminiscing a particularly sweet kill. It didn't do well for her hunger, but she relished in the memory. That kill had been particularly rewarding, nearly costing her her life in the process but the soup had been particularly delicious. She shifted with discomfort as the hand made contact with her shoulder.

This wasn't the first time she'd been someone's captive. Each time, them making contact with her seemed like a cruel twist on how things should really go. It was unnatural, she didn't like it. "You're right, it's not that hard. But I hardly see the point of giving out information for free, nor without a guarantee I'll get what I want. That's hardly fair, now is it?"

[member="Natasha Darkstar"]