The Captive

Chapter 2: The Fight

My captor's last words echoed in my head long after he had left.

Replaying.

Mocking.

He had been sent to capture me. But how did he find me? I had been careful, covering my tracks, avoiding any communications with anyone in my home planet. Throughout the months I had spent with T'iana on her planet of Talamh, no one knew my identity; only a handful knew I even existed. I lived in the shadows, with no rumblings of my past coming back to haunt me.

Until now.

Hours passed. Hunger, coupled with sleep deprivation and mental exhaustion, dulled my senses. The fixed position in which I had been left caused my muscles to ache, then gradually become numb. I fidgeted as much as my constraints allowed, willing my circulation to persist, battling the very threat of unconsciousness. The sandpaper taste in my mouth did not relent, despite every effort in my being to block out the discomfort. Falling prey to my physical instinct, I longingly eyed the cup of water that had been left on a ledge in front of me.

The ship suddenly roared, then violently turned at a 90 degree angle. I gasped at the sharp movement, clinging as best as I could to my seat. The vessel then increased in speed, the force taking the breath out of my lungs. Frenzied beeping then surrounded me. The lights on various frames and panels blinked furiously, as though engulfed in their own panic. Rumbles echoed beneath my feet, the vibration frantic, desperate. Anxious, my eyes flashed around the compartment, searching for any sign of what was occurring.

A side panel to my left exploded, spewing sparks throughout the compartment like a barrage of fireworks. Alarms rang out shortly afterwards, the staccato beeping overlapping with one another. The ship lagged for a split second, careened forward at blazing speed, then performed a controlled barrel roll. I hung on for dear life, my back pressed firmly upon the wall behind me. Butterflies filled my stomach, which seemed to inch its way towards my chest, as the manoeuvre progressed. "Hey!" My voice came out as a croak. I greedily gasped for breath as I shielded my face from the fried circuits to my side. "What's...what's going on?!"

The lights in the ship darkened in reply.

The ship staggered, losing its speed and altitude. After a momentary flounder, it then declined in a sharp free-fall, its nose diving haphazardly. "Shit!" I cried out, the very real possibility of impending doom invading my thoughts. The fall continued for a few more minutes, the velocity increasing as the arc of the ship turned downwards ever more sharply. My lungs laboured to capture oxygen during the freefall. With no other recourse, I could only close my eyes at the discomfort.

The vessel abruptly stopped.

Then, ever so slowly, I felt it lower to land upon steady ground.

The rumblings of the engines stopped.

My captor reappeared not long afterwards, his purposeful strides taking him to the malfunctioning panels beside me. As he passed my form, he examined me for a moment. I glared upwards at him in return. "What the hell happened?"

"None of your concern."

He rapidly pressed a few buttons on his vambrace. A red light appeared, and he began to scan the panels. He muttered a curse to himself, then replaced a large, fallen cover. His head lowered.

"Where are we?" I persisted, not breaking my stare from his form.

He heaved a sigh, annoyance evident through the squaring of his shoulders. "You ask too many questions."

Whether it was my previous physical state or whether it was caused by the events that had just occurred, my head bobbed involuntarily; my eyelids felt as though they weighed a ton. My laboured breaths continued as my head swirled, my temples being barraged by intermittent stabbing pains. Through blurred vision, I perceived my captor take a few steps to my side. Faint rustling sounded, followed by a sharp clink. He moved back in front of me and took a knee. I felt something pressed against my lips.

"Drink."

The word was no longer a suggestion, but an order.

With no energy left to fight, I tilted my head upwards in acquiesce. The cool liquid felt like a new life force upon my lips. I drank greedily, not wasting a drop.

I then felt the straps around my ankles loosen, followed by the cuffs around my wrists.

"'Fresher is that way."

Though the exhibition of decency - mercy, even - surprised me, I didn't think twice about how to react. With all the energy I could muster, I pushed myself up from my seat and limped toward the cabin he had motioned towards. He wasn't far behind. He then entered a combination upon the panel to the right of the door, opening it. Watching my every move, he stood behind me and waited until I stepped inside. The door then swished closed before I could turn around to face him.

After a few minutes, I lightly tapped on the metal door. "Hey, I'm done."

No reply.

"Hey!" I shouted out more frantically, pressing my ear to the door. I inspected the cramped compartment, which barely had any room to stretch out my arms. My earlier prison cell didn't seem so bad at this point. "You can't keep me in here!"

The sliding door opened then.

No sign of my captor.

I furrowed my brows when I noticed that the backside cargo door was open, the long ramp fully extended. What the hell? My eyes lifted towards the horizon. We had landed on what appeared to be a clearing beside heavy forest. The red trees on this planet playfully swayed in the light wind, its shadows carelessly dancing on the mossed ground. Despite the circumstances, I actually thought it was quite...beautiful.

I took a hesitant step outside of the bathroom, examining the ship's compartment with mistrust. As my second step fell upon the metal ground, a light mew sounded.

My eyes darted to the ground, alert.

It was the green creature.

With its head tilted to one side, its wide eyes studied me quizzically, mouth slightly opening to reveal tiny teeth.

I approached the creature gingerly, my hands up as though in surrender. "Hey there, little guy." I watched it closely as its tiny legs took it to the edge of the ramp. It then turned its head to me, then towards the clearing. I furrowed my brows as I followed its line of sight. "What's going on? Where's your master?"

What was it trying to tell me?

Wait.

The pounding in my chest increased as I realized that this could be my chance to escape. But to where, exactly? I didn't even know which planet I was on! But wouldn't any kind of freedom be better than my current situation?

The being looked up at me, as though sensing my inner battle. It made almost a distressed, high-pitched sound, its mouth forming into a frown. Suddenly, discomfort enveloped my body. My head began to pound even more.

Something felt really, really wrong.

The firing of several blasters pierced the tranquil scenery before us. I had no visibility with regard to where the shots were coming from, but whoever was firing them was close. Distressed at the imminent danger, I scooped up the little creature in my arms and ran farther back into the ship for cover. I tried to press the blinking buttons beside the cargo door in a frantic attempt to close it, but the ramp remained still.

Bushes rustled a few meters from where I stood.

A yellow-skinned Trandoshan then appeared from the shrubbery, blaster drawn. Its hardened scales shone in the light as it moved tactically towards the ship. The menacing glare on its face did not falter, underscoring its protruding teeth.

It pointed the blaster directly at us.

Before it could squeeze the trigger, I managed to take a lithe step to the left and press my back firmly against a closed door. Using what little cover I was afforded by the side of the ship and a stack of crates, I ripped a loose panel cover off and held it in front of me as a shield. The Trandoshan unleashed a series of shots; some entirely missed, while others bounced from the panel cover. I eyed the creature I held in my arms, its distress apparent in its face.

A familiar voice sounded then.

"Go to the cockpit!"

Peering ever so slightly from behind my makeshift shield, I observed my captor shooting at the Trandoshan. Without a moment to spare, I made a beeline for the ladder in a crouched position, ensuring that as much of my and the creature's form were behind the panel. Blasts continued to rain within the ship, damaging some of the interior. As I reached the bottom of the ladder, I tossed the panel to the ground in order to climb. It was then that a shot ricocheted off the bathroom door and grazed my upper back. I cried out in pain, but kept my tight grip on the creature. Its concerned eyes met mine. I held it closer to me as I managed to pull myself up the rest of the ladder.

I reached the second level of the vessel and followed a narrow corridor. The searing pain upon my back continued as I hurriedly searched for the cockpit. After a few more steps, an automatic door flew open, revealing a single pilot seat, two passenger seats at its flanks, and a variety of multicoloured monitors, displays, and panels.

I ran inside the safe haven and looked back to ensure that the doors had closed behind me. I set the creature down on the pilot's chair. Keeping low, I peered out of the windows, looking for any sign of my captor or the threat he was suppressing.

There was movement beneath the right engine. My captor appeared, keeping his back as close to the ship as possible. He fired at several attackers just meters away, dropping them where they stood. My eyes followed his form as he continued to scout the perimeter, expertly surveying our surroundings. His head snapped upwards as he looked into the cockpit. I met his gaze. How can I feel his eyes piercing through me even though I couldn't see them? Then, he disappeared from my line of sight.

With a crisis seemingly averted, I turned my attention to the little creature. "Are you alright?"

It let out a prolonged gurgle, then extended both of its arms towards me.

"Is that a yes?" I actually felt myself smile at the interaction. It was a sensation that seemed so foreign now. When was the last time I had actually, genuinely smiled? I picked the creature up in my arms once more, rocking it ever so slightly. "You're a nice little child, aren't you?"

The cockpit door whizzed open. Startled, I moved behind the pilot chair and shielded the creature with my body. I eyed the shadowy corridor, my expression raged with defiance.

My captor appeared.

I let out a sharp exhale of relief as he strode with conviction inside the cockpit. His stare drifted from the creature in my arms, then to me. His head slanted to the side, then nodded towards my upper back. "You're hurt."

I failed to mask the tremble in my voice. "I'm fine."

"You're hurt," he persisted, opening a low compartment at the foot of a passenger seat. He bent down slightly as he rummaged through the contents. After a few moments, I caught a glimpse of a pen-like contraption in his hand. He then stood upright and motioned his head towards my wound. "This will help with the healing."

I eyed the tool with suspicion.

He saw my hesitation and offered, "If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so already."

In reply, I tilted my chin upwards and gave my head a quick shake. "You know, you really need to work on your bedside manner." Setting the creature back on the pilot's seat, I pulled down the left sleeve of my tunic, exposing the bloodied wound that ravaged my left scapula. I couldn't tell just how deep it was, but it sure as hell was painful. "Have at it, doc."

He took another step towards me.

"This is going to hurt."

My heart rammed at my chest in anticipation. I took a deep breath as light buzzing noises began. As promised, pain shot through my body, and I flinched at the contact. I bit my bottom lip in an effort to muffle my cry. "This is making it better?" I hissed.

"Eventually, it will."

I let out a sharp breath and fought the tears pooling at the sides of my eyes. What I felt next, however, wasn't more pain, but the sensation of light, calloused fingertips grazing the nape of my neck. Shivers travelled down my spine at the touch. Ever so gently, he moved my long hair aside, tucking it over my uninjured shoulder. With a slight hesitation, he then pressed his hand on my upper arm, keeping me steady as I involuntarily trembled at the pain. My body relaxed. His calloused fingers momentarily trailed the side of my arm before he retrieved his hand. I swallowed at the contact, at his closeness, and remained silent.

Through the corner of my eye, I could see the creature looking up at us inquisitively, his expression neutral.

I had no idea that silence could be so loud.

Any concocted form of distraction would do at this point.

"Is this your child?" I blurted.

"No."

"I uh..." I turned my head slightly to the side to look up at him. "I was just wondering if you looked like that underneath that helmet of yours."

He paused for a moment and observed me.

At that very moment, I desperately desired to see what his flaming eyes looked like.

"I can tell you with certainty that I am not green."

I didn't know what possessed me to do so, but I burst out in laughter. Something I had not heard in a long time from my lips. Even the creature let out a few giggles to join in. However, the non-green lifeform behind me stiffened at the sound and abruptly released me from his grasp, as though I had just burnt him. He tossed the healing tool back into the compartment.

I took a step forward to stand at his side. "What happened? Who attacked us?"

He brushed past by me and moved towards the front of the cockpit, pressing several buttons and turning on some switches. He ignored my questions entirely and announced, "Once I'm done fixing the ship, we're leaving this planet."

With a flick of his cape, he then took a step towards me and took my hands in his. I examined our contact, then looked back up at him. I could hear his light breaths through the helmet - rhythmic, steady.

In a swift movement, my wrists were once more bound with metal cuffs.

"Sit." He pointed brusquely to the right passenger seat, the aggression in his movements returning. "And don't move."

My jaw fell, but no words came out. I struggled with the cuffs.

He took the creature in his arms and strode towards the back of the cockpit.

My eyes trailed after him. "Isn't it lonely?"

Those few words succeeded in stopping him where he stood. He didn't look at me. "What?"

"This life?"

No reply.

I continued, nodding towards the creature, "You know, this is no life for a child."

His free hand formed into a clenched fist as he exited the cockpit.