Star Wars: The Xenobiologist and the Exiled

Chapter 5

These Aren’t Choices

The hum of an engine vibrated against Chesmi’s head. She slowly opened her eyes, the dim lights filling her vision. She went to move her hands but found her wrists bound. She held them up. Standard cuffs. She shook her head, clearing the fog from her mind. Whatever chemical had been used was still doing a little work, it felt. Finally pushing herself to her feet, she looked at the holding cell.
Well, she was in a holding cell in a cargo hold. She appeared to be the only being in there at the moment. She observed the door. Basic bars and a basic magnetic lock. There was the chance she could get out of this cell, but then where to? She’d need to activate her distress signal, but she didn’t want to do that until she knew what the destination was. It was now a waiting game.
Escape pods. I bet there’s escape pods. If I can get out of this, I can steal one. It doesn’t feel like we’re in hyperspace. At least, not yet. If she could short out the lock, the door would swing open. All she needed was metal. She reached up and removed a pin from her hair, then bent it out of shape and wedged it into the lock, causing a short in it. The door opened, and Chesmi felt quite satisfied with herself.
Time to go. If she could run fast enough, she could make it before the hyperspace jump. She swung the door further open and took off. She checked every corner, making sure her captors weren’t around. This was a poacher’s ship, no doubt. Rough interior, and probably even worse exterior.
She checked the next corner, but found it occupied. She stepped to back up, but bumped into something. No, someone.
“Nice to see you’re awake, blueskin. Let’s take a walk, shall we?”
Chesmi felt her arm roughly grabbed and she was pulled down the hall.
“Let go of me! You can’t hold me prisoner.”
“Oh, save the useless words. You’re alive, aren’t you?”
That wasn’t reassuring at all. She was dragged down one last corridor and into some sort of meeting room. Who she assumed was head of the group sat at the far end of the table.
“Welcome, Miss Pavona. Please, have a seat.”
Chesmi was shoved into the chair.
“Not much of a choice about sitting.”
“You will have choices here. Whether or not they are beneficial is solely up to you.”
“So what do you want? Why go through all the trouble to kidnap me when you could just kill me?”
The man smiled and tilted his head.
“My dear, I need your knowledge and abilities. This planet you’ve written about,” he pulled up her work, “fascinates me. Fastwings? Spike tailed sovros? There’s quite a profit to be made. And I have a source who says you can control animals that are unruly.”
Chesmi felt the color in her face drain. How did he know about her ability?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You speak of nothing but silly rumors.”
“My dear, don’t even try to deny it. I have all the information I need about you. Having a mole inside does wonders for business.”
“Kaeya.”
“Wow. Perceptive. Although, she probably didn’t try to hide it, did she? Now, onto business. I’ve charted our course to that planet. Your choices are in front of you.”
“Are they? What exactly are my choices? It doesn’t feel like I’m getting a choice.”
The leader tilted his head a little further.
“You’re right. You’re going to help us whether you want to or not.”
“I’d rather die.”
“Do you really? You don’t have anyone to live for?”
Chesmi’s heart dropped. Of course she did. At least now. Previously, she hadn’t cared what happened to her, but ever since she’d met Lovande, she’d found someone to live for.
“I won’t help you. You know that.”
“I had a feeling you’d say that.” He made a motion with his hand. Two of his lackeys grabbed Chesmi from her chair and restrained her. The leader opened a container and removed a syringe of some type. “If you won’t willingly help me, then perhaps you need encouragement to do so.”
Chesmi began struggling to free herself, but found no success.
“What is that?” she asked, her voice filled with panic.
“It’s a toxin of my own creation. It’s very slow acting, but it’s also a bit painful as it works. It’s the best way for compliance. I do have an antidote, but you have to work for that. Make sure her neck is exposed.”
One of the thugs grabbed Chesmi’s hair and yanked, pulling her head to the side. Panic wound its way through Chesmi.
“Let go!”
“You know it’s too late for that.”
He grabbed her neck. The next thing she felt was the sting of a needle and an odd burning sensation. The two lackeys dropped her back into her chair.
“Now, we will be arriving shortly, Miss Pavona. If I think you’ve been helpful enough, I’ll give you the first dose of the antidote. But you’ll be working hard for it. Take her back to her cell.”
She was picked up again and dragged out. A few twists and turns later, she was unceremoniously tossed back into her cell. She didn’t feel any effects of the toxin yet, but knew it was only a matter of time. Once they landed, she’d be activating her emergency signal alerting not only her ship, but any passing ship within a certain number of parsecs would also receive it. It was her only chance.