Bound in Blood

[Asteroid]

9:30 AM; the next day​

Despite not liking planet Markus was beginning to get used to Zakuul and it was starting to become his second home. He was quietly considering build some sort of headquarters for the Unchained as he pushed a hover-dolly loaded with a rather large torture device towards Arysolyn's cabin. Normally he didn't supply custom gear for his clients but anyone even remotely related to Apophe warranted a special exception to his rule.

Markus parked the dolly outside of the cabin and walked up to the door, giving it a few hard knocks before shouting, "Arysolyn open up! I've got that cradle hing you requested!" Loud enough to be heard from inside the building.

 

[Phantom]

"Hey, Apophe. I'm on my back to Yahmsborg, and I learned that you were on Zakuul. You are probably sleeping right now, so you probably won't get this until the morning. I actually will probably be there before you get this message, Sleep well, I love you."

Amelia was running a little later than she had planned. After she sent the message to Apophe, she went right to bed, deciding that she needed some sleep herself. She overslept and ended up sleeping for another hour before she finally noticed her alarm. She then struggled to get her daily clothing. All resulting in a coffee-run ragged-looking Amelia, who was glad to see the food when she entered the mess hall, where she waited for her fiance.

 

[Vinn Esper]

6:00 A.M. ​

Arsolyn had been sleeping peacefully when the sound of one of the overseer's began to tap on the door. She woke up with her cousins arm draped heavily over her. She smiled to herself, that was the most peaceful rest she had gotten in a long time.

Arsolyn started to get up slowly, making extra effort not to disturb her cousins sleep. Apophe didn't need to get up just yet, and Arsolyn knew how she liked her sleep.

After getting off the bed, she picked up her Sword of the New Age and fastened the belt to her waist. Unfortunately, she was going to need it today. The Overseer began another series of light taps.

Arsolyn perceived them to be meant to rush her, though in reality he was just doing his duty. Arsolyn made her way to the door, and slowly opened it, signaling crudely for the Overseer to be silent. She then quietly shut the door and started to walk towards the slave quarters.

She arrived at the slave quarters and let out the last of her fatigue in the form of several yawns. Once that was out of her system, she addressed the first Overseer, "Roll out Pen One.

The first Overseer unbarred the door and opened it. He and two guards went inside. One by one the thirty slaves of the first building began to line up.

This process was repeated with the other two currently occupied slave's barracks. About fifteen minutes passed before all the slaves had been lined up. None of them were restrained. Arsolyn began to walk back in forth in front of them, easily close enough to assault.

"I am pleased with your work in general," she announced to the slaves. Group One really seems to understand my message. That is why all thirty members will receive an extra half portion of breakfast and lunch."

Arsolyn paused and continued walking only to stop in front of the middle of the second group before speaking again, "Some of you don't seem to get it, though. That is why Group Two will skip breakfast and receive only a half portion of lunch."

One of the slaves shouted "no food, no work!" It was a slave who had repeatedly caused trouble and was probably one of the slaves behind the incident during dinner. He was known to Arsolyn as two- sixteen.

"Good Morning to you too," Arsolyn said as she moved directly in front of him, "Two- Sixteen."

"My name is Harse, bitch," the slave responded rudely. He went to lean back and spit, but in that instant the side of one of Arsolyn's rigid hands connected hard with his atom's apple.

The slave grasped his throat and Arsolyn grasped the shirt he wore. Arsolyn threw him forward and onto the ground. "You see, Two- Sixteen, you're just the type I was speaking of. I have tried to guide you."

As Arsolyn had been speaking, she had also been approaching the slave, who was just now trying to get back to his feet. Arsolyn drove her booted foot up and into the slave's diaphragm. He fell back to the ground and she continued she continued. "I have explained to you how to work this program. I gave you the keys to free yourself. You all know how to gain your freedom.

The man was trying to get to his feet again. This time Arsolyn would let him. "What faulty wiring in your brain prevents you from making the intelligent choices, Two- Sixteen? I don't enjoy this."

"It's easy for you to talk like that when you've got all this protection around," Slave Two- Sixteen said. "Where's your courage in a fair fight?"

"So it's pride then," Arsolyn responded, "you just can't accept defeat. I can respect that. At the same time I feel sorry for you."

Arsolyn paused for a moment, "whatever happens next, no Yahm nor any other is to interfere." She turned back to the slave and continued to speak, "I'm going to make you a deal, Two- Sixteen." Arsolyn drew her sword and tossed it to the ground in front of the slave.

"You pick up that sword," Arsolyn said, "you kill me with it, and every slave will be released." The slave picked up the sword and charged Arsolyn with it held high. As he reached her, he attempted to cut Arsolyn with a high chop from left to right. Arsolyn ducked and sidestepped the blade. As she did she caught the man's sword arm and held it. She also began to use the force to drain the man of his life force.

Next, Arsolyn drove her knee into Two- Sixteen's stomach. She then moved one hand to grab a handful of his hair. She spun around in a half circle dragging the slave and throwing him forward and onto the ground.

"You see," Arsolyn said to the other slaves, "pride is a dangerous and deceitful quality. Pride tells this man, do not yield. I ask you to think about what his refusal to yield has given him. What has his pride done for him?"

The slave was back on his feet and approaching slowly this time. He feinted in a couple times, but Arsolyn didn't fall for it. Finally he came in with another diagonal slash meant to bisect Arsolyn. She dropped low and spun, removing his footing from under him.

As the slave crashed to the ground, Arsolyn jumped atop of him, reclaiming the sword and using her draining power to subdue him. Soon, he was satisfactorily weakened, as was evident by the very pale shade of his skin and by the dazed look on his face. Arsolyn dragged him up onto his knees.

The slave remained there on his knees, wavering as if he could barely maintain even that position. "So what did this man's pride gift him in the end. He is still on his knees in the end." Arsolyn quickly spun and slashed in the slaves direction with her sword. His head separated from his body and rolled along the ground.

"His pride brought him death upon his knees. He was never free. Even before we came here, you were not free. You simply had more privileges. Even with my sword in hand, he lacked the ability to change his fate. Next time you become prideful, think about Two- Sixteen."

6:45-9:45 A.M​

"Overseers," Arsolyn said after giving the other slaves some time to think things over, "you may take them to breakfast." Arsolyn turned and walked back into the direction of the cabin, leaving the body to lie where it was. She wanted to wake her cousin, now and have breakfast with her.

As Arsolyn got back to the Cabin she started to speak softly, "wake up Cousin. Apophe it is time for breakfast." Eventually, she would succeed in waking her cousin and she would try getting her to go to breakfast. After that, the fourth group of slaves would finally return from the forest.

Then, each group would receive their labour assignments.
Finally at just about nine, Arsolyn would be ready to start work on the church. That would be delayed by the arrival of Marcus and Amelia.

Arsolyn began to panic on the inside. What a strange coincidence that she had only just talked to her cousin about her affection for him only to have him show up and start banging on her door.

Arsolyn looked at him, pointlessly knocking from the work site. She couldn't figure out what to do even though. He was only a few feet away. Yelling to him never occurred to her. So instead she looked at Apophe with a confused almost helpless look on her face.

 

[Retroboy]

Markus? Why, of all people, Markus? He wasn't even Yahm. After all the crap Arsolyn had given her about marrying within the Yahm, Lynnie had fallen for Markus. Apophe wanted to be mad, to be mean about it, but she had just gotten back onto good ground with her little cousin, and besides, Apophe just wanted her cousin to be happy. So, she resolved to bite her tongue about it, at least until later where she could unleash a barrage of endless teasing without worrying about poisoning her potential relationship. Still, Arsolyn would never, ever live it down.

She strode over to find Markus by the cabin, looming over him. "Hey, Markus," she says. "If you're looking for Lynnie, she's back with the slaves." She walked off, giving him a little salute, before heading back to Arsolyn. "He's all yours, lover-girl. Now I gotta go find my fiancée."

She wandered off, before finding Amelia in the mess hall. She gave her a wide-grin. "Over here, hon!" she called. She took Amelia's hands in hers, and pulled her in for a kiss.

"I got good news," she said. "She took it better than I thought."

 

[Asteroid]

Markus shook his head as no one answered the door, spending the last few weeks in space had thrown off his sense of time. Markus himself had been up for the past 10 hours and was just about ready To call it a night. His train of thought was thrown off by Apophe, startling him as he whipped around. "Dammit Apophe don't sneak up on me like that!." He said. Markus doubted he would ever get used to the Yahm women's gargantuan size. Heeding Apophe's tip, Markus restarted his hover-dolly and made his way over to where Arysolyn was building her church eventually finding her. "Hey Arysolyn I'm here to deliver that cradle thing you asked for. Hope it works to your liking because I'm not in the business of giving refunds."

 

[Phantom]

"That is good news," she wrapped an arm around Apophe and lead her back over to where she had been eating before. She had been sitting by a group of slaves, who seemed to enjoy her company. Most were female, but a few males had joined the group. Amelia sat down and scooted ever so that Apophe could sit with her. "So, did you find out if she is interested in anyone?"

 

[Vinn Esper]

Arsolyn smiled at the refunds line and even chuckled a little bit. The machine looked to be properly constructed and she was sure she was gonna be satisfied with it. She pointed to a spot, near where the church was going to be. "You can set it down, over there," she said to Markus, "are you busy or do you have some time?"

"If you're not busy," she said nervously forgetting to wait for him to answer, "I thought maybe I could buy you breakfast, and we could talk about stuff." What the hell am I saying, Arsolyn thought to herself. What stuff are we going to even talk about? "Never mind Markus," she said, I know you're probably pretty busy."

Arsolyn smiled at Markus. She could feel her reddening. She was a little more than slightly embarrassed and she felt like she had just made a fool of herself. Even so, she smiled, partly to try and hide her embarrassment. However, she also just wanted to smile at Marcus.