[Steve Hamrick]

1258
Corridor outside Gate Room Level 12
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Steve hated himself, Sadren, and the whole damn situation. Cooper brought up negotiation. Not that they had a strong position for that. But Steve was ready to throw himself on a metaphorical grenade right now.

Sadren had enough of his own troops pointing guns at SV-3 that he lowered his own and studied his nails for a moment. "Negotiation then, Ambassadress. What do you have to offer? What do I get out letting you send her back, Doctor?"

Steve looked at Collins when she spoke. He knew exactly how bad the situation was, but if he could only negotiate one person's release, it would be Cooper. And so did he, right now, 'not being killed' was as far as the plan went. "Let us send her back and you can do whatever you want to me."

Sadren looked up from his nonchalant study. "I take it that the pregnancy is yours then, Colonel. I wasn't going to say anything, a man never knows when they're just fat after all."

Steve considered what was tactically better, the truth or the lie. He went with a half-truth. "Not mine, we don't know who she got knocked up by."

Sadren seemed to believe it as he got a speculative look. "So our negotiation, sending Ambasssadress Cooper back is what you're asking for. So here's what I want. Doctor, Lieutenant, on your knees. Colonel, your clothes, off, all of them."

Steve quailed inside, already feeling sure that Sadren was toying with them. But SV-3 was still trapped. The rest of his team would, probably, respect him in the morning.

He gave a determined effort to not thinking about it as he unbuckled the tac vest and put it on the ground, unzipped the uniform jacket and shrugged it off, dropping both jacket and T-shirt in a pile. He charged through the rest of his clothes before he lost his nerve, even knowing that Sadren wasn't going to uphold this little bargain, but maybe he could keep the bastard's attention on him and off any of the women.

Standing in nothing but dog tags, Steve didn't break eye contact with Sadren, as he interlaced his fingers and put his hands casually on top of his head. "Was this what you wanted?"

<<tag Isabelle Cooper, Vanessa Collins, Azalea 'De' Andre, Makes-Eternal-Everlasting>>

[Isabelle Cooper]

1258
Corridor outside Gate Room Level 12
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

When Dr. Collins stepped forward Isabelle glanced over to her and knew what the psychologist was about to say, for a brief moment she prayed she wouldn't mention her condition but the words were quickly out of Collins mouth. “It’s not safe for you or the baby.” Isabelle knew it was not safe the moment that the Athendans started shooting at them, but what could she had done besides run. Running had worked for a moment, now they were trapped against the blast doors.  


“Allow us to send this woman back......Please.”

If she left, by the time she returned she was sure Sadren would have made good on what he had told them, she would not return to find her teammates alive.  "Negotiation then, Ambassadress. What do you have to offer? What do I get out letting you send her back, Doctor?" Cooper looked back to Sadren, her mind was drawing a blank, "Let us send her back and you can do whatever you want to me." Steve replied.  "I take it that the pregnancy is yours then, Colonel. I wasn't going to say anything, a man never knows when they're just fat after all." 


"Come se mi preoccupassi di quello che un bastardo come te pensa della mia figura."(Like I care what a bastard like you thinks of my figure.) she spat back, she knew she had gained weight and her figure was much thicker, but she also had another human growing in her and sometimes that human demanded a good amount of food to stay happy. "Not mine, we don't know who she got knocked up by." She was thankful that he did not mention the fact that the father of her child...and still new husband was one of the leaders of the expedition they were apart of, if anything that could make things even worse for them. But then again Hamricks reply had made her out to be some type of whore. 

Sadren gave his terms for their negotiation, as much as she wanted to protest, Sadren was allowed to give his terms, SV-3 had given theirs, it was only fair. That is if the other side...the armed side wanted to truly be fair. Col. Hamrick waited a moment before Isabelle realized he was doing what Sadren wanted and started removing his clothes. Not wanting to stare as her team leader progressively shed more and more clothing and potentially seeing what she could only guess was a well toned arse, Isabelle stared at a point in the wall instead. 

"Was this what you wanted?" 

She glanced to where Steve now knelt on the ground, his hands laced behind her head, she was sure the others would soon follow him on the ground, leaving her standing alone. "We have agreed to your terms." she said to Sadren, "Now what about me?" she asked. 

[Azalea 'De' Andre]

1300
Corridor outside Gate Room Level 12
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Standing there with hands behind her head, Azalea listened intently to everything going on, while the eyes surveyed the area trying, as well as praying, that maybe there was still a way to escape. Being surrounded, it was clear there was no way, but that didn't mean this lieutenant was ready to give up. The Athendans would have to slip up sometime, and when they did, she would be ready; till then, she would just have keep playing their game. With Makes still out there some where, there was still hope for a rescue from her. She had to be watching their six, plus with her invisibility trick, she could give them chance they needed of surprise. All hope was on her for right now. Hopefully she was in this room waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Kneeling on the floor, the brunette kept the hazel eyes glued to the ground right in front of her. Just because Sadren was forcing Steve to do the most humiliating thing of his life, didn't mean that she had to watch. He was still her CO and there was no way she was going to disrespect him in that way. "Look at your commander Lieutenant," Sadren ordered walking by noticing where the gaze was lying. The young woman refused to answer, keeping the gaze locked on the ground. "I ordered you to look at your commander Lieutenant!" Sadren shouted, but no movement was made. For a few moments, Azalea thought that made he gave up, but then a hard tug came to the back of her head as it was jerked up facing Hamrick. Quickly, the Linguist closed the eyes. Feeling a smack to the cheek, the woman gritted the teeth to sting of pain. "I said look at your commander Lieutenant!" Sadren shouted again feeling only inches away from her face. "You'll have to gut out my eyes before I ever take a command from you, especially when it comes to dishonoring my CO. You may feel the need to humiliate those around you to feel big about yourself, but you'll never get me to play along," spat back, purposely letting some spit come out with the words. "You'll be properly dealt with Lieutenant, don't you worry about that," Sadren sneered before making a sound like getting up and walking away, hopefully turning back to Hamrick and Cooper.

With eyes still closed tight, Azalea took a deep quiet breath kneeling there waiting for whatever was coming back, trying to ignore pain that was searing through the skull; listening to Cooper and praying that she would be able to get out of here. The only way that her eyes would stay open if he forced them open which she wouldn't put it past him. They could bring on all the pain in the world, beyond anything she ever thought of, but they couldn't make her look at Hamrick in this way; not without some force behind it. Makes, please do something soon, she thought but fearful this wouldn't end any time soon.

Tag: Steve Hamrick , Isabelle Cooper , Vanessa Collins , Makes-Eternal-Everlasting , Avand Sadren

[Steve Hamrick]

1300
Corridor outside Gate Room Level 12
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Steve focused on what he had to do to get his team out alive, getting to a tactical place where they didn't have all of Sadren's security force with a bead on them and maybe could make another break for the gate.

And not on how cold these unused levels of the Athendan base were or that he couldn't remember the last time that anybody of the opposite gender had seen him in the altogether.

Sadren dusted off his hands as he turned back to Andre. "Though I'm surprised at your modesty, Lieutenant." He gestured contemptuously at Cooper and Collins in turn, "she's pregnant and she's old, I would have thought you were Colonel Hamrick's woman if Ambassadress Cooper isn't it."

Steve looked at Andre, he appreciated her attempt to not go along with it but he could use some ability to signal her. "Would you bring the piece you're sleeping with into the field, Sadren? Seems sort of stupid to me."

"Granted, but only if you're foolish enough to care." Sadren looked toward Cooper and addressed her. "And obviously he is, Ambassadress. So why in Naraka would I let you go now?"

Steve didn't want to, but he felt a small worm of betrayal. He knew he shouldn't and feeling it meant nothing good. "If you prove you won't keep your word, I have no reason to believe anything else you say."

Sadren barked orders to the squads surrounding SV-3. "Take the rest of them to the holding cells on level 6. Take Lieutenant Andre to the interrogation chamber on level 5. And get a medic for later."

Steve's hands dropped and curled into fists, but that was the only thing that gave away his feelings at the threat to Andre. "She's new to my command, disrespectful and useless. Do you really think she knows anything, Sadren?" Steve tapped his own head. "Or would you rather know what I know?"

Sadren considered and shook his head. "Now I don't believe you, Colonel. A small tactical unit like yours, with half of it civilians? She has to know everything you know, because she has to be able to replace you."

<<tag Azalea 'De' Andre, Vanessa Collins , Makes-Eternal-Everlasting , Isabelle Cooper >>

[Isabelle Cooper]

1300
Corridor outside Gate Room Level 12
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

She did not expect to feel anger mixing in with the fear she already had, maybe it was because she was not happy that Sadren had so blatantly gone against his word and now was enjoying humiliating members of her team, or maybe it was due to the fact she was almost four months pregnant and hormones were not her friend. Either way, as Sadren kept talking, Isabelle only stared at the man as he responded to her, "And obviously he is, Ambassadress. So why in Naraka would I let you go now?" 

Isabella blinked as she realized she was now a pawn in what she could only assume was about to be a dangerous game. "Take the rest of them to the holding cells on level 6. Take Lieutenant Andre to the interrogation chamber on level 5. And get a medic for later." at their commanders orders one of Sadrens men closest to her reached out and roughly grabbed her arm and started pulling Cooper forward while another took up position behind her,  "She's new to my command, disrespectful and useless. Do you really think she knows anything, Sadren? Or would you rather know what I know?" At Hamricks words she dug her heels into the ground she pulled against the man trying to lead her down the hallway, turned she cast a nervous look to Andre.

Once again Steve seemed to be making an attempt to spare someone from whatever Sadren had in store, "Now I don't believe you, Colonel. A small tactical unit like yours, with half of it civilians? She has to know everything you know, because she has to be able to replace you." tightening the hold on her arm the guard started pulling Isabelle down the hall again, not wanting to risk pi$$ing his commander off and ending up on the receiving end of his whip. 

TAG: Steve Hamrick, Vanessa Collins, Avand Sadren, Azalea 'De' Andre, Makes-Eternal-Everlasting

[Azalea 'De' Andre]

1302
Corridor outside Gate Room Level 12
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda


Azalea slowly opened her eyes, moving them to look directly at Sadren, head starting to ache with the hair and head pulled up. "Favoritism might be how you got ahead Sadren, but it doesn't work in this line of duty," spat not caring if she was out of order or not. Being captives now, all bets were off. Hopefully between her and Hamrick, they could eventually think of some way to get out of here, but till then they were stuck. "Unlike you, I don't have to do any sexual favors to advance myself; though you would think that by doing that, everyone would like you more." Instantly, there was a smack to the face as Sadren walked by. The brunette winced at the sting then started to grit her teeth to not let the pain show too much.

All the Lieutenant wanted to do was fight as the guard behind her started lifting, and forcing her to walk. Hearing Hamrick's reply, Azalea did all she could to keep a straight face, no reacting to his statement. Remember your training Andre. He hopefully doesn't mean it and is just trying to protect you, thought to herself, taking a quiet deep breath keeping it all together. As much as she wouldn't ever admit it, those words did sting. There was still a lot to learn, especially being in a new galaxy. There would always be a lot to learn, but hopefully that didn't mean she was that bad at learning. She had hoped by  now she would be past that disrespectful stage. Definitely was going to have words with Hamrick after they got out of here.

"Of course I want to replace him. That is obviously the end goal for any second in command. Why wouldn't I want to  upstage him and prove I'm a better leader?" Azalea replied hoping that Hamrick wouldn't take offense. Maybe if they did act as if they were playing one against each other, one of them would get enough 'trust' to be let go and go from there. Glancing out of the corner of the eye, the brunette prayed that he would see through the act. This might be the only key to getting out right now.

Tag: Steve Hamrick , Makes-Eternal-Everlasting , Vanessa Collins , Isabelle Cooper , Avand Sadren

[Makes-Eternal-Everlasting]

1302-10
Decommssioned Stargate complex
Level 6 stairwell.

[/Warning, multiple weapons discharges detected on level twelve Madromas said, the whole squad heard the Ancilla, the AI had connected to the squads radio. The entire squad complete unseen exewcept in each ones holographical HUDs. Waving two different ways Makes had the squad split up. pairing off easily, the last one paired up with her.

"Status on Steven and the team ?" Makes asked

[/They have been split up, the whips are locked away, Steven be in the skin

"And here I thought what happened to the last Squad here was bad." Makes murred softly, she and her squadmate, a younger female panther known simply by her callsign Speaking-With-Silence winked a warning light as she spotted someone up ahead as the two hit the lowest floor and slid through the open door. Makes hooked into what Silence was seeing and saw Az, the human woman who trusted her get lead into the elevator "Madromas, where is that going ?"

[/Level Seven came the reply

Makes thought less then a minute, then nodded, patting Silence on the shoulder the two feline went back to the stairs and took them three at a time to get to level seven. once there Silence eased open the door as the elevator opened around the corner. "Projected path ?"

[/Office directly across from elevator lobby

Makes nodded at the reply, "Silence, guard the lifts, you two, stay with Silence and back her up" Makes said to the two other squad members who arrived at their hiding space. "I'm getting one of Steven's team." Makes shifted to her Diamaine Rod, the pistol was perfect for this kind of thing, But then she thought better of it, Az wasnt armed, her weapons were taken. So shooting out the door was out of the question. Makes reached down to the hilt that hovered at her hip. The energy sword was perfect for this part of the mission

"All ears listen up" Makes said over her radio. "Steven Hamrick's team is priority one hostages to recover. Madromas will navpoint their projected locations for recovery, Give them your Diamaine Rod once you have them they will not have weapons" She said, 7 lights winked twice, they'd received the orders.

Makes then patted Silence on thre shoulder, the Panther nodded and dropped her cloak, as did her squadmates as Makes went, while still perfectly unseen towards the office door where Az was held behind. Reaching to her hip Makes took hold of the energy sword hilt, and held it to the door.

She waited a few beats then she activated it

Activating the thing, the purple pink twin blades stabbed through the steel door like it was paper. Slicing first up, then down, the sheer heat generated by the weapon melted a good hole in the door before the thing was wrenched off its hinges entirely. A hovering almost as if haunted energy weapon entered the room then. An Athenda taskmaster. a female at that, opened fire. Az, Makes saw, was thankfully still dressed and unhurt, but she was tied up.

Energy rippled where the shots hit the Snowleopard's unseen form. Within the span of heartbeats the weapon clicked empty, and a massive furred paw gripped the Athendan woman by the neck as Makes faded into view. Thick white and black fur, powerful muscles lifted the woman off the floor. Holding the woman close as her face appeared as the cloak fully faded Makes smirked "Her turn" She said with a nod towards Az while turning off the sword, placing the thing back on her hip she threw the Athendan woman against the wall, A flick of the wrist and the bindings broke off Az's arms alowing her to stand up as the massive Snow Leopard handed the woman what looked like a weapon made of crystals and bits of energy.

Makes even showed Az how to activate the weapon properly so when the safety turned off it shifted and reformed to fit Az's hands properly. But it was still a rather large pistol for the human to use, and it was clearly alien the way it formed and shifted as the weapon powered up

Azalea 'De' Andre Steve Hamrick Avand Sadren Isabelle Cooper Vanessa Collins

[Avand Sadren]

1302
Corridor Outside Gate Room Level 12
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Avand's hand touched the hilt of his knife. "True, but there are disadvantages to being in command, Lieutenant. You're always the first to suffer at the hands of the enemy. Degraded and humiliated to break you down, made a fool of in front of those who used to respect you."

He smiled at the growl he heard from Hamrick. He was half-tempted to change the questioning order after all. "Last I checked, my whole team's women, Sadren. Do I look like I've got anything here to be humiliated about?"

Sadren looked at his prisoner, and hated the obvious youth in comparison to his own age. "By the time I'm done with you, Colonel, they will have no respect for you left as a leader, as a soldier, or even as a man." He jerked his head at his own soldiers. "Hand the Lieutenant off to Taskmaster Horva for interrogation. Take Colonel Hamrick and Ambassadress Cooper to my interrogation room on level 5. The good doctor can watch the Lieutenant suffer, you look like you'll break from that, Doctor Collins, once the screaming starts."

The cold fury Avand saw in Hamrick's eyes told him he'd picked the right woman, or that harming any of them would break Hamrick.

<<tag Isabelle Cooper , Makes-Eternal-Everlasting , Vanessa Collins , Azalea 'De' Andre >>

[Steve Hamrick]

1310
Interrogation Room Level 5
Decommed Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Steve turned his wrists against the chain that forced his arms up above his head, his sides exposed for what Steve knew was going to happen. Cooper had a guard with a gun pointed at her.

He might have taken the chance if she wasn't there. His feet could touch, but only if he was standing. And the shackles were already cutting into his wrists. He could only imagine how much more they'd cut in when he couldn't stand up. And in a few minutes Steve knew he wouldn't have to imagine at all.

Sadren ran his hand over a table full of interrogation tools before picking up what the two Vedic personnel would call brass knuckles. "You don't strike me as a woman used to violence, Ambassadress. Have you ever watched someone beaten, until they're choking on their own blood from their shattered ribs puncturing their lungs?"

Steve wanted to whimper, wanted to give in. But he swallowed and focused on what duty required of him. He wasn't going to talk. "Don't tell him a damn thing, Cooper."

He was inhaling to say something else when the first blow came to the solar plexus and his knees buckled as he gasped for air. Before he really got his breath back, several more blows hammered along his right side and it was the bright stab of pain when a rib broke that first got him to cry out.

Sadren cracked his knuckles as he examined the bruises before looking at Isabelle. "He won't break yet, but what about you? You can make it stop because I know he won't, not this early. That's at least one broken rib, and decent internal bleeding, not my best work yet by a long shot but there's a lot more of him to break."

Steve was forcing himself to stand back up and couldn't avoid the savage kick to the knee that buckled him again, the chain holding his weight now. But he swallowed the pain and shook his head, urging Cooper to keep silent. He could take it, but having Cooper watch was worse than the beating he knew wasn't nearly over.

<<tag Azalea 'De' Andre , Isabelle Cooper , Vanessa Collins , Makes-Eternal-Everlasting >>

[Isabelle Cooper]

1310
Interrogation Room Level 5
Decommed Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Steve was strung up in the middle of the room, his wrists shackled above his head, no chance to defend himself if something happened. Isabelle was off to the side, a guard having a tight grip on her left arm and the gun in his right hand pressed into her spine. Sadren was busy studying a table full of various torture objects and if she did not know what was on the table, based on how he was acting with the items, she would have thought that he was looking at a favorite childhood toy. But he wasn't. He was looking at things that could hurt someone.

"You don't strike me as a woman used to violence, Ambassadress. Have you ever watched someone beaten, until they're choking on their own blood from their shattered ribs puncturing their lungs?"

He was asking questions he already knew the answer to. Isabelle noticed that he had picked an item from the table, as he slipped it over his fingers she realized what it was. "Don't tell him a damn thing, Cooper." she glanced from Steve to Sadren and then back again, she was about to reply when Sadren began his attack, when Steve finally gave a cry of pain she felt her stomach turn, already Hamricks skin was showing the gruesome signs of Sadrens hits.


"He won't break yet, but what about you? You can make it stop because I know he won't, not this early. That's at least one broken rib, and decent internal bleeding, not my best work yet by a long shot but there's a lot more of him to break."

Isabelle did not want to meet Sadrens gaze, but she willed herself to do so, "Come desiderate i vostri dati?"

(How do you want your information?) she asked, fighting to keep her voice level, they were past the point of trying to be nice, if anything now she should be trying to figure out how to keep Steve from anymore harm, but that would require her violating an order. But she was a civilian, so did she have to follow the orders of another military officer that was not from her own country? "Parce que même si je te le donnais, serais-tu capable de comprendre ce que j'ai dit?" (Because even if I gave it to you, would you be able to understand what I said?) she added, this time in French. Before she could say anymore, Sadren kicked Steve, Isabelle shut her eyes tight, not wanting to see the beaten man hang before her, "What makes you think an Ambassador knows anything?" she asked as she opened her eyes again, though this time instead of looking up, she kept her focus on her feet.

TAG: Steve Hamrick, Avand Sadren

[Steve Hamrick]

1311
Interrogation Room Level 5
Decommed Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Steve made himself stand again, even if the kick felt like it had torn or stretched something, and his other leg had more of his weight now.

Steve gritted his teeth from both pain and fear as Cooper said something in Italian and was clearly provoking Sadren. "If you're going to betray your people to save him, I'd avoid speaking gibberish, Ambassadress."

Behind him Hamrick cursed, and Avand understood that just fine, even if what he'd been told to do was anatomically impossible.

Then she did it again, though it sounded different. His hand with the heavy metal knuckles itched as she tried to pretend she knew nothing. "Because you're here."

He stretched out his fingers and looked at the few items of gear that he had questions about. The small device was silver-white plastic with a dozen buttons and a screen. The chain rattled as Hamrick pulled on it. "We had things like this, long ago. What's the code?"

"Go to hell, Sadren. Cooper, don't tell him a goddamn thing." Steve only wished he'd had a chance to hide it, or that Sadren couldn't tell what it was for.

The blow was aimed just up under the edge of Hamrick's ribs. "Considering you're an utter failure as a field commander, why should she do anything you say now, Colonel?"

Steve flinched from the punch, and tried not to believe what Sadren said.

Sadren held the device in her face, then swung with the other to backhand the ambassadress. "Now tell me, the address of your world and the code to get there safely. Unless you want to find out how much of a beating you can take, in your fragile condition."

<<tag Isabelle Cooper, Vanessa Collins, Makes-Eternal-Everlasting, Azalea 'De' Andre

[Isabelle Cooper]

1311
Interrogation Room Level 5
Decommed Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Sadren's comment about betraying her people stung, she knew she was not betraying anyone, if anything she'd be betraying Steve by giving Avand what he wanted, yet at the same time she might be sparing the Marine from any more abuse. Their captor saw right thru her attempt to act like she didn't know anything, and while she was not as well versed in the fine working of a Stargate as some people, she was not entirely clueless.

"We had things like this, long ago. What's the code?"

"Go to hell, Sadren. Cooper, don't tell him a goddamn thing."

She knew what the object that Sadren held in his hand was, and how to use it. All you needed to do was enter the right series of numbers. Steves remark was quick to get him another punch to his already tender side, she tried to not imagine more of his ribs breaking under the blows. "Considering you're an utter failure as a field commander, why should she do anything you say now, Colonel?" Because even though she had every right to be questioning his leadership, he was still the only person in the room she could trust to get her and the rest of SV-3 home, without him she had little hope. Avand approached her and shoved the object into her face, Isabelle glanced at it and was starting to move her gaze to his face when his heavy hand connected with the side of her face.

Isabelle gave a shriek of pain as her head snapped to the side, her free hand quickly came up and pressed against her face, trying to stop the pain that was now radiating. As she took a shaky breath, trying to keep herself from crying she felt something wet on her hand and realized that it was blood, that could explain why she felt like her heart was suddenly in her nose. 


"Now tell me, the address of your world and the code to get there safely. Unless you want to find out how much of a beating you can take, in your fragile condition."

At the mention of her current state, she pulled her hand from her face, not caring about the blood that was flowing from her nose or that her face felt like it was on fire, and wrapped her arm around her stomach. She wasn't sure how much she could take before it put the baby at risk, and she did not want to find out but she had a feeling that she did not have much of a choice, the risk was there the moment she stepped thru the gate. "Why do you want to go to our world?" she asked, her jaw hurt when she spoke, "The address will get you there, but the only code I know is for the wifi and I can hardly remember that sometimes." it was not the answer that he wanted, but it was better than saying nothing, or was it worse? 

[Steve Hamrick]

1312
Interrogation Room Level 5
Decommed Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Steve saw red, white hot rage, as Isabelle wavered from the strike and Sadren demanded Vedas's address and an IDC.

She went for BSing him with mentioning the Wi-Fi code.

Sadren wasn't watching him as he answered her, while clenching and unclenching his fist. "Your code to get back, woman. I did you the small mercy of striking you in the face. I won't be so kind if you refuse to give me your wifi code again."

Steve twisted his wrists against the shackle, ignoring the rough metal burring drawing blood as he gripped the the chain in each hand. He needed Sadren's jaw.

"She doesn't know, Sadren, I'm the only one who has what you want. Besides, you look ridiculous, beating on someone a foot shorter than you." Steve tensed, lifting some of his weight off his feet.

Sadren partly turned and Steve chose that moment, pulling his whole body up and kicking Sadren in the jaw and neck. It wouldn't mean freedom, but just drawing the torture back on himself. The move lit up pain all down his side and the broken ribs. But it connected, solidly from the long shinbone and he panted, momentarily spent.

Staggered but not knocked out, Avand pulled his knife, wiping his jaw. The hilt was polished black antler and the edge was serrated in a particularly nasty way.

This was about to get a lot more painful, but Steve didn't let that fear show. Sadren forced his head up with the edge of the knife, and grinned. "You just want to suffer, don't you?" The edge pressed in harder and Steve refused to lean his head back from the blade again. "Do that again and watch her die, Colonel."

<<tag Isabelle Cooper, Makes-Eternal-Everlasting, Vanessa Collins, Azalea 'De' Andre>>

[Isabelle Cooper]

1313
Interrogation Room Level 5
Decommed Gate Operations Facility
Athenda


"Your code to get back, woman. I did you the small mercy of striking you in the face. I won't be so kind if you refuse to give me your wifi code again."

He actually bought the wifi thing, Isabelle kept her surprise off her face which was easier than she thought due to the fact that half of it was starting to swell up. She kept her free arm wrapped around her waist, the gun in her back was starting to hurt, "She doesn't know, Sadren, I'm the only one who has what you want. Besides, you look ridiculous, beating on someone a foot shorter than you." He was doing her a favor by drawing the focus back on himself, even though he was worse off than she, what she did not expect him to do was kick Sadren in the face, it was a satisfying thing to see even if it only served to further irritate the hornets nest. 

The moment of satisfaction was short lived as Sadren quickly pulled out a knife, "You just want to suffer, don't you?" the guard beside her tense up at the sight of the blade, Isabelle nervously glanced at him as the Athendan seemed to suddenly want to be anywhere else but the interrogation room. "Do that again and watch her die, Colonel." 

"Siamo venuti qui pacificamente e hai deciso di comportarti come un tipo di mostro per ottenere informazioni." (We came here peacefully and you decided to act like some type of monster to get information.) she said quietly, her jaw hurt when she spoke and her nose was still bleeding from the hit. Yes, she was going back to her "gibberish", but it one of the few bits of personal comfort she had left and she was going to use it as long as she could. "Se mi uccidi, non ti dirà niente." (If you kill me, he won't tell you a damn thing.) she added, as much as she hated to say to admit it, she knew it was the truth.

[Avand Sadren]

1314
Interrogation Room Level 5
Decommed Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Avand pulled the knife back, flipping the grip in his hand.

Then Ambassadress Cooper started to talk again, but in the other indecipherable tongue. But a few words were clear enough, and he chuckled with no humor to the sound when she called him a monster. "I've been called far worse, woman. You can make me stop anytime you like. Your gate address and Wi-Fi code."

In front of him, Hamrick was clearly still resistant if in pain. A new tack was necessary,  maybe one of the other women, the doctor or the lieutenant. Or another position, he looked at the old medical table against the wall with leather straps to hold a patient down during surgery. But he had to do something first.

He looked at his soldier guarding the ambassadress. "Aim for her head. If he breathes wrong, shoot her."

He understood her perfectly when she spoke again. "You're wrong about that, Ambassadress. He may not talk, but he'll cooperate."

The knife flashed as he turned it to a different grip and then slashed a bloody groove down Hamrick's chest. The cry of pain was music.

Cleaning the blade, Avand gestured with it to Ambassadress Cooper. "Unlock the colonel's hands and help him to that table, then strap his wrists and ankles."

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