Criminal. Scrapper. Part 3

«The best warriors stand up and continue fighting.»

«We know that. But give her time to heal, her pride was wounded greatly.»

«Then why doesn’t she want to see me? Or even you? Don’t you think our company wouldn’t help her heal from whatever blow to her pride she took?» Hunter was becoming angry with each word he said.

«Look…» Lindon leaned over the table. «You have to understand that she had never suffered defeat. Never. She was always stronger than all her peers, all her comrades and everyone who ever wanted to take a swing at her. She exhausted herself in ways none of us thought reasonable. And she really became the best. Veluthians love to become stronger, but she made it her life’s goal. And now she was forced to surrender and be taken prisoner for the things she hadn’t done.»

«And what do you propose I do? Give up on her? Forget it and act like nothing happened?» Hunter hit the table.

«We propose you be there for her when she finally comes out.» Wolfin sighed. «She will come out, trust me. She just needs a bit of time to come to terms with what happened.»

«There has to be something we could do to help her through it.»

Lindon glanced at Laneth, who walked into the dining area, engaged in something on the information tablet in her hands.

«Maybe… we could ask for a favour?» Lindon said.

Wolfin and Hunter saw him looking at Laneth and exchanged glances.

«You think Serena would see Laneth and not us?» Hunter growled angrily.

«Well… think about it. If she won’t see us, maybe she would be open to at least speak to Laneth?» Lindon shrugged. «I’m grasping at straws here, Hunter. Don’t blame me for it.»

«Wolfin?»

«It’s a good thought.» Wolfin sighed. «Just… don’t push Laneth to do something we can all regret, alright?»

«I’m regretting allowing Serena to come here in the first place!» Hunter hit the table with his fist.

Wolfin noticed how Laneth looked their way.

«Look, we all know it was her decision!» Wolfin said. «We had to trust her…»

«And look where it got us!» Hunter jumped to his feet.

Wolfin sighed and stood up, stepping aside:

«She’s been cleared of her charges. The son of the man we were investigating is arrested. Her assumptions towards her surrender were correct.» the man headed towards Laneth, who stood there, watching the heated discussion the men had.

Lindon breathed out:

«No matter what happened in prison, Serena was right to put her trust in the Empress.»

«But it does matter, Lindon!» Hunter leaned over the table, gritting his teeth. «I can’t just allow her to be locked up in the captain’s quarters all this time! I have to know what happened…»

Laneth slowly and cautiously approached the men.

«Wolfin said you wanted to ask me something?» she said.

Lindon met her worried gaze and stood, stepping closer to her:

«Look, I won’t be tiptoeing around. We need your help.»

«Is it about Serena?» Laneth seemed to become tense.

«Yes. She locked herself up in Cipher’s quarters, and none of us really know what happened to her. Hunter is worried, we all are, and we need answers. We thought, maybe, you would be able to help us reach out to her?»

Laneth glanced at Hunter and saw him closing his eyes.

«You know I’d be happy to help, I’m just not sure if I can do anything…» she shrugged.

«It doesn’t matter if you think you can… she doesn’t want to see any of us. Just… try and talk to her, maybe? It would mean the world to us.»

Hunter straightened and looked into Laneth’s eyes:

«Laneth, I really need to know what happened to her. Please. Help us. I can’t bear the thought she’s been locked up in that room for a week now!»

«Just… talk to her.» Lindon asked, pleadingly looking at Laneth, who stood there, lost to what she could do to help. «That’s all we ask of you. Talk to her.»

«I mean…» Laneth sighed. «I can try, but… I’m not sure she’s up for conversations right now.»

«She loves fireball…» Hunter gritted his teeth. «Maybe, you can break the ice with that? Offer her a drink?»

Laneth sighed again:

«I’ll try.»

Lindon smirked, but his smile faded, when he understood that even with all their efforts, Serena might not be open to talk to anyone yet.

It didn’t take them too long to let Laneth have a meal, before grabbing a bottle of fireball and heading to the captain’s quarters. The men gave her some space, keeping far behind, and watched her walking up to the door cautiously.

Laneth slowly approached the door and hesitated, glancing over her shoulder, seeing Hunter, Wolfin and Lindon standing ways away, by the corner, watching her.

«Captain?» Laneth called out. «Can I please speak with you?»

«Leave me alone, all of you.» they heard Serena responding, her voice quiet and seemingly pained.

«Serena, please.» Laneth pleaded. «I wanted your input on some new designs I made…»

«This can wait.»

«I… uh… brought you some of that fireball whiskey you love so much. Can you at least open the door so I could give it to you?»

A silence fell for a good minute, before the door slid open and everyone saw Serena standing there – eyes looking down, her – now short – hair ruffled like it hadn’t been brushed all these days. She was wearing the same clothing she had on when they released her, which made her friends think she hadn’t once used the shower.

The woman offered Serena the bottle, seeing tracks of tears on her face:

«If you don’t want to talk… I can just keep you some company?»

Serena silently took the bottle and made a step back, shaking her head and declining. Laneth looked down, defeated, and suddenly noticed a very small detail no one else has – a few blood stains on the inner thighs, long dried on the clothes. The door slid shut again, leaving Laneth outside in a harsh realisation to the reasons behind Serena’s wish to remain alone all these days.

She turned, glancing at the men and thought if she should be telling them about her terrifying assumption.

Chapter 8. Dinner

Serena watched the helper bot cleaning up the shards of glass left after she smashed the empty bottle against the wall, and the thought of her being all alone, silent and distant from her crew, made her feel even worse than she did before.

She stood, heading to the bathroom and began ripping off the clothes she was given in prison. The helper bot chimed, noting the new field of work.

As soon as she walked into the shower and switched the water on, she felt the need for the water to be scorching hot – to wash off everything that her body had left on it after being under investigation. She spent a few hours curled up on the floor, soaking, thinking of how humiliated and defeated she felt.

When she finally forced herself to her feet and washed the remaining filth off, she got out of the shower and looked at her reflection in the mirror, seeing the jagged, uneven haircut she was given. Grabbing a pair of scissors, she gritted her teeth and began cutting bits of hair, forming a better length and form she could pull off. Though, once the most part was finished, she glanced at the extremely short bits of hair running on her right temple and threw the scissors down, grabbing a trimmer.

Finally, she finished her haircut and looked at herself in the mirror, seeing a shortly shaved right side and the rest of her hair combed to the left side, forming long locks falling to her cheekbone and jaw that made her look like one of the women who fought in Dharna Nole.

Serena looked down, swallowing a lump in her throat.

The defeat hit her harder than everything else. And the raping she had endured was all the more hurtful.

All that humiliation, all that pain… and for what? To get her name cleared? To have a few scumbags incarcerated? She knew not if her effort was anywhere near to finishing the group of Veluthian traitors that seemed to have gotten into things that shouldn’t have been shared with the rest of the Human Universe. However harsh the punishment may be, there will be none that will help her wash off the shame and memories of her body being defiled again and again while she was kept in the prison that was supposed to be up to code.

She walked out of the bathroom, shivering and deciding to distract herself from the uneasy thoughts, and thought if she could borrow some clothes from Cipher, who had a number of Veluthian outfits, but never used them, preferring something he purchased himself. Glancing into his clothing station, she noted the captain’s black and blue outfit Cipher hadn’t put on once, and chose it, altering it to fit her with the help of the automated appendages that were meant to help adjust or fix clothing if it was damaged.

When she dressed up, feeling a little bit more collected, she thought if she would be strong enough to finally face her crew.

«Captain Serena, you are being hailed by a representative of Empress Alathea, High Counsellor Nifin Dal Jalaar.» the deep male voice of SS Growler made Serena flinch. «Will you take the call?»

«Yes.» she said, her voice raspy.

She walked over to the chair in front of the office table and sat down, raising her eyes to the screen. A moment passed and she saw the brightly lit room of the official hailing her. It was a woman, with deep red hair – long and luxurious. Whatever this woman thought of Serena, seeing her in such a pathetic state, it never glanced through the calm and respectful expression on her face.

«Captain Serena Dal Thara-Lyss. I am calling to offer my sincerest apologies for the wrongs committed against you and your crew. Empress Alathea would like to invite you and your men to dinner tonight.» the woman said, a faint and polite smile on her lips. «I hope you’ve had enough time to recover from all of your injuries?»

«Yes, I have.» Serena cleared her throat. «I accept the invitation. Please, forgive me for the short reply…»

«It’s all right, Lady Thara-Lyss. I understand. I shall pass the wonderful news to the empress.» the woman smiled wider. «And I will personally come to escort you to the palace in an hour.»

«I’ll notify my crew. Thank you.»

When the screen turned black, Serena took a bit of time to collect her thoughts before heading to the door. But as soon as she opened it, she saw Hunter sitting right at her doorstep, head hung down, arms lying on his knees. The man obviously wasn’t awake, and Serena spent a minute thinking if she should wake him up – she couldn’t make herself lean down and touch him. After a moment she decided it was easier to slightly kick his boot.

Hunter jolted up immediately, shocked to see her out of the room at all. He reached out to touch her, but she stepped back, tensing up:

«Don’t…» she pushed out of herself, avoiding looking into his eyes. «Please don’t.»

Hunter saw her body trembling and lowered his hands, feeling helpless and not knowing how to help her at all.

«Serena…»

«Just don’t.» the woman headed out.

«Please, talk to me!»

«I’ve been defeated, Hunter. Leave me alone.»

«So what?» he jumped in front of her, his eyes filled with tears of anger and worry. «The best warriors are those who get up and continue the fight!»

«I need to get ready…» the woman stepped to the side and walked around him, not wishing to engage in the conversation. «And you all should too…»

«For what? What the fuck, Serena?»

«We are being invited to dine with the Empress.»

«I don’t give a fuck! Look at me!»

Serena stopped, understanding how difficult it was for her to do what he asked. But she also knew how deeply worried for her he was. Slowly turning to him, she still couldn’t make herself meet his gaze.

«Please…» she pushed out of herself. «We can talk after… I…»

She closed her eyes, catching herself before her voice cracked. She heard him walk up, but he didn’t touch her, though obviously wanted to.

«Serena, please. I need to know…»

«For the moment.» Serena cleared her throat, opening her eyes and turning her back to Hunter. «We need to get ready. The Empress wishes to see us. Everything else can wait.»

Hunter jolted in front of her, not allowing her to leave.

«Serena.» he whispered. «I just need to know that you’re all right.»

«I will be. I just need time.» she replied, knowing very well that he could feel her lying. «Go and get dressed. Something formal.»

She stepped around him, leaving him there – confused and hurt by her distant demeanour. Heading towards the medical bay, she was grateful Hunter didn’t follow her there.

Absentmindedly, she walked into the medical bay, not really knowing what she was looking for. Stepping up to the screen of the medical processor, she took a few long moments to think about what she needed to keep herself clear headed. Realising how she needed to remain calm and collected during the fancy dinner, she started to mix up a few capsules of a strong sedative that won’t make her lash out, but keep her responsive.

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