Vanguard: Awakening

U.K.E Bachelard: Chapter Fifteen

"Keep him moving, don't let your paws off those chains!"

Cedric wiped a fresh wet spot of spittle off the side of his chin.

"Disgusting murderer, you're a goddess-damned devil. Everything the Goddess stands against. Disgusting waste of Nitrogen."

One of the nearby guards was escorting Cedric back to his tiny cell after being read his charges, several others holding onto chains that bound him flanked all sides - eight guards in total, all supremely armed in the finest the United Korelleian Empire had to offer. He had to somewhat crouch through the hallways of the prison corvette, the Bachelard. Another guard spoke up,

"Twenty-Seven dead. How messed up you gotta be to kill that many? This is why mutants are a problem! Primates or not, they're all horrors of nature. What was the Goddess, rest be to Saintess Amelìa, thinking when she condoned the creation of this thing?"

A third guard shrugged,

"Beats me, she works in mysterious ways - ya know?"

The first guard piped up, "Oh, he wiped it off." Ptoo!

Cedric wiped off that one too, with what tiny bit of movement he was allowed.

"In ya go, ya little shit."

They kicked him into the tiny white cell, there was barely enough room to lay down - he had to scrunch up, the position constantly causing his joints pain. It didn't matter though, this mistreatment - he deserved it all. They were right, he was a waste. He accepted all forms of punishment they gave him during the three-week cruise to where he was to be executed. The U.K.E. Bachelard was a prison transport corvette designed to ferry high-risk prisoners, this particular one was sailing the stars to a border planet - a territory that marked the end of the core worlds, and the start of the border worlds - which lead to the outer colonies. Ideally, they'd arrive in the next few days or so - so Cedric knew he'd only have to put up with this blatant mistreatment for just a little while longer.

Unlike Alcatraz, there was no guard or constable or captain here that showed him a shred of decency. Ever since the announcement three weeks ago or so, the sphere of the Empire was in an uproar, in fact the public rallied against Cedric - since it had been revealed to them just how much death followed his wake. The Korellei people's faith in their unnamed Goddess was stalwart, and nigh unshakable - enforced by what little he knew of their inquisition and religious sects. Life and spirit, in a nutshell - these were the core values that every Korellei was raised with. Upon their government revealing his body count, he truly was treated as a demon - a chaotic entity that contested their entire belief system, and their respect for living beings (most of them, anyways.)

During the week of his transfer preparations, Thea was the only one to give him a shred of normalcy. All the rest of the inmates and guards blamed him for the new laws and prejudices formed shortly after the official conference, he couldn't blame them - he wasn't just demonized, he was used as a scapegoat to justify the Empire's want to enclose a tighter grip on their populace. Being honest with himself, Cedric didn't blame a single one for their behavior- it was a cruel happenstance. He kept his scrunched  form in place, the uncomfortable hard metal walls and gridded floor of the cell causing much discomfort - he remained in place, knowing that the discomfort would turn into numbness. He closed his eyes, it wouldn't be long now. Just a few days, just a few more days...

A deep, bellowing alarm woke Cedric from his nap - bright red lights alternated throughout the dark, leaky corridors of the vessel. Shouts of readiness echoed from every corner, showering Cedric's ears with confusion. Given the alarm and the red lights - were they being attacked?

"Quickly, secure the prisoner! Pirates!"

Pirates? Cedric was confused for but a moment further before he realized why. Of course, Pirates. There was ample warning, and they were on the border - exactly where they tended to patrol according to Faring two years ago, he recalled. He was public enemy number one, his best guess was they were taking the opportunity to ransom Cedric for a fat stack of credits. Made a lot of sense, and they must be extremely well armed if they intended to take Cedric prisoner for ransom. He wasn't actually sure who would win the engagement, but based on his knowledge of the Empire- they'd obliterate the Pirates.