| abstract | - Interrogation Chambers -- I2SD Inquisitor One of the pentagonal corridors houses the ship's Interrogation Wing. Here, the corridor is lined with windowless doorways that lead into dark, poorly lit, dismal rooms. There are larger rooms for group humiliation and confinement purposes, and smaller rooms for more intimate moments of terror. Every room seems dark and technologically primitive. Behind their walls and floors, however, are housed every terrifying instrument of torture one could imagine. Chains and machines, electrical and chemical devices. Medical equipment complete with not only life saving items, but drugs any civilized system would have outlawed. Only the interrogator knows fully what diabolical devices lie behind the walls, ceiling, and floor. The decks are sheet metal, with little drainage holes - the type that can be cleaned of any undesired substance by water hoses, making the interrogation clean up easier. The miracle of modern medicine. Bones would normally take weeks or months to set and heal, but the Empire's medical droids are able to sedate Korynn, set his bones, and accelerate the healing process by an impressive multiplier. After all, he was too weak with hibernation sickness, sloppy beatings and untreated injuries to sustain any type of torture. Dreven was wise to refrain from getting into things too quickly. Some two days later, after being put into a medically safe pseudo-hibernation to accelerate the healing of his hibernation sickness and disinfect wounds that were close to going septic, Korynn is awakened as one of the droids injects a stimulant into his bloodstream. Forensic analysis of his wounds have been run through the ISB's analytical databases time and time again, approximating that his oldest wounds were incurred approximately 25-33 days prior to his arrival on HIMS Inquisitor. He'd been abducted exactly 28 days before that, so his torture must have started almost immediately after his abductors escaped from Theseus Station. Further, blood analysis showed a number of fascinating, telltale discoveries. Dangerously low blood-sugar readings indicate that he was borderline malnourished, and a blood-chemical scan showed heavy traces of a street-drug common to the Empire's Bavo Six, commonly available in the underworld realms. Korynn opens his eyes slowly, and groans softly at the stiffness of his joins. Footsteps fall as the Agent Dreven Mercurio unlocks the sealed door into the interrogation chamber and enters. It is left open for any other ISB Agent to personally enter into the Interrogation, and the lights come on. Dim enough for the prisoner to see, but dim enough to create a ghastly and bleak outlook upon the stark white interrogation chamber. "Prisoner 198A. You are awake now. You have been treated by Imperial Medical Droids and have been given the highest level of care to accelerate your healing until you are prepped for this point. At this point, questioning will begin. As you well know, your body is still weakened and any further punishment will surely result in permanent disabilities to your form. It would be within your best interests to answer any and all of my questions to the fullest of your abilities." A pause is allowed for this information to be digested, then the Agent continues to speak. "You have been under interrogation by the people who captured you for approximately twenty five days. Have you been compromised." Acthpa has received a message calling her to the interrogation chamber and that is where she is heading. The door opens as she enters the correct code and she steps in. The scene looks like any other scene of interrogation, the prisoner 198A being her main interest. Who... What? She raises her eyebrows slightly for a second, showing her big surprise. Director Korynn Fleming IS the prisoner. She is about to say something as a million of questions are flowing in her mind but at the last moment she stops and waits for Dreven or the prisoner to go on. She walks softly beside Dreven and clasps her hands in her back. Korynn's body is still in bad shape. His right forearm fracture is healing inside a protective duraplast cast, and his nearly demolished left hand is kept immobilized by a duraplast glove, so that his shattered fingers will heal well. Still hovering inside the bacta tank, his hair is matted wet against his head through the sticky liquid, and his facial hair sticks to his skin, making him look rather ugly. The immense Neuronic Lash marks across his back are healing well, though they will undoubtedly leave scars that plastic surgery may never amend. First, he turns his eyes down to inspect his injuries, foggy through the sticky bacta and with his damaged eyesight. Then, they turn slowly to gaze upon Dreven, and Acthpa when she enters. "No," he states, his voice marginally stronger as its amplified from the small microphone in his breath mask. "Their methods were sloppy at best. They were even foolish enough not to hide the label of the drugs they were injecting me, so I was able to prepare myself for the impending pain and stimulations." His usually cold, crisp Coruscanti voice is hoarse, coming at a slower pace than normal, but nevertheless dedicated. "I played broken eventually, providing them with marginal information that would lead them into dead ends and never close to any of our agents." He smirks slightly beneath the mask, as if some unseen memory brought humor to his tired soul. "Their confidence at having seemingly broken an ISB agent clouded their better judgment, and they accepted every lie I told as the cold truth." "Incorrect answer. Nobody can last for over twenty days of torture without breaking. Even if it is sloppy. If they were as sloppy as you state, Prisoner 198A, then they would have killed you in their attempts. However, you are still alive." A motion of the hand, and those probes show what they were implanted for. A faint whine of electrical charge, before a sudden and violent burst of electricity approximately an inch underneath the flesh erupts, attacking the pain receptors directly as well as burning muscle and flesh. This charge lasts for a few seconds before suddenly dying down. "Same question again. Prisoner 198A." "HMMRRRRRGGH!" The sound comes through clenched teeth. This was unexpected. It isn't the pain that rolls through his body that brings Korynn shock and surprise, it was the fact that Dreven saw through his ploy. His eyes slam shut, body twitching, until the probes are deactivated. His breathing, amplified by the microphone, is heavy for a few moments before his eyes open. He glares toward Dreven with suddenly unbridled malice. "The answer to your question is no. I am not compromised. I serve the great Emperor Vadim today even stronger than yesterday." Frowning at Korynn's answer, Acthpa still doesn't move of an inch. Dreven is doing the job so she is just here to watch. She would tend to believe Korynn but effectively, it's been a long time under torture. "I see. Then what questions were you asked while you were under interrogation by those whom captured you, Prisoner 198A. That is the next question on the list. Failure to provide appropriate answers will result in further punishment." "I live for but once purpose, Mercurio," Korynn replies. "When that purpose is taken away, there is nothing for me. In the hands of so-called Republic scum, Hutt thugs, or Corporate Sector weasels, not a word would come from my mouth that betrays the security of our Glorious Emperor's vision. The questions do not matter, for I simply would have refused to speak until they carved my very heart from my torso. Look into my eyes, 416690-D9C4-11, and tell me if you believe I would not take joy in watching my blood pour from every crevasse of my body to ensure that our Glorious Empire is not compromised?" He's ready for the next batch. If Dreven kills him, it will be Dreven’s head that rolls. If not, he will eventually be in his rightful place once more. His confidence is unshaken, his eyes dominating. So he is not lying. Not too much of a surprise though. At this moment, there is a silence and Acthpa hadn't said anything yet. "Prisoner 198A," weird to call him like that... "Did they know who you are for the Empire? And... did you know them or have any idea of who they are?" Her voice is not really cold, rather curious. She is just learning what happened to Korynn so questioning him is also surprising for her, since he looks dedicated to the Empire. Korynn turns his defiant eyes to Acthpa, and they seem to settle slightly. "Their hunt was for a member of the Bureau," he claims. "I was visiting Theseus Station for that very purpose... to draw out potential attackers who might want to see the Empire weakened. It was for that very reason Agent Mercurio was brought in to track my movements in secrecy." His eyes shift back toward Dreven. "Something you failed to accomplish, Mercurio." He looks back to Acthpa. "As you should be aware, CSA warships were responsible for attacking Imperial vessels at Nar Shaddaa. It seems my suspicions were correct... CSA will go to any lengths to keep us from interfering with their profiteering. These mercenaries went to great lengths to pull off my abduction, and if 'Prisoner 198A' is permitted to continue speaking frankly, it is a shame that Mercurio and my personal CompForce guard failed to protect me." He turns his eyes back upon Dreven, glaring toward him. "So go on and fry my subcutaneous with your implants, Mercurio, until you are satisfied. Then send me to the Select Committee and pray that you won't be re-assigned for your failure to see my abductors stopped." "I did all I could in my station as an undercover operative. It is an ISB directive not to break undercover operations. You are freely welcome to bring fourth my case before the Select Committee. I believe in the will of the Emperor and those that he chooses to enforce his will are law." The crisp ISB agent continues to stare at Korynn. "Your threats fail to sway me, Prisoner 198A." A hand is raised, and another sharp bolt of electronic agony rises through the form of Korynn, before dying moments later. "We have records on hand of CSA tampering, and they will be dealt with shortly for repeated offenses against the Empire." Acthpa nods. She had no idea of what was going on so it was more for her personal information. She doesn't feel threatened at all since she was out of this assignment though. "I have no doubt you will do your job if you are released, prisoner. Meanwhile, this is in your advantage to stay as neutral as possible." Korynn clenches his teeth, taking the pain thoroughly. It wracks him, his body twitching as it hangs inside the bacta tube, and groans of discomfort flow from him... but he doesn't back down in his convictions. He's as dedicated to the Emperor as the best ISB has to offer, and he's willing to let Dreven push him to death if the agent feels that is necessary... and worth the risk. Once the charges have stopped, his right hand unclenches. Acthpa's words register before he slowly opens his eyes, and a chuckle escapes his lips. "Indeed," he murmurs. "Both of you are doing your jobs quite well right now, I will give you that." A grin spreads across his lips. "If there is any other information that you might have to give us, Prisoner 198A, it is preferable that you provide this information immediately." The Agent lifts up his hand, casually motioning to the wall. It flickers for a moment as a vid-screen comes on. There is a still image of a COMPNOR secure home. Korynn's parents home. "We can and will use every means to get what we want." The image flickers, and a vid-image of two kneeling people that Korynn would immediately know. "This is a live image." They are Ban and Shandra Fleming, Korynn's biological parents. Korynn's resemblance to them is striking in different ways... he has his father's physique, his mother's skin tone and eyes. Right now, the both of them kneel with their heads arched downward, but a specific defiance in their eyes. Korynn turns his own eyes toward the live video, and he's silent for a few moments. This was something he would do... it was something he taught Dreven to do. This could be a trick, or it could be the real deal. Either way... Korynn would shoot them both if it were necessary to preserve the Emperor's Will. His dark eyes take in his mother, and then his father. It only takes a matter of seconds, as he systematically files away this as the last image he will have of them. His rage rises up, and it burns its way into his mind, but all the while he simply breathes heavily and keeps himself under control. "Do your worst, Mercurio," says Korynn. "There is no more information. I will always serve the Emperor." His right hand clenches tightly, his eyes turning to lock onto Dreven, daringly. Acthpa turns to have a look at the image and back to Korynn to watch his reactions. Unfortunately, she did not have the chance to practice that on prisoners when she was in the BofO since they were rebels, but that's a cool idea indeed. She nods and grins while thinking that and let the scene goes on. A brief nod of the head. "As you wish, Prisoner 198A." The Agent continues to stare at Korynn. He had executed many people before, and didn't need to see anything. He'd done it all before. His chest raises as he speaks one word aloud. "Execute." Two MCW pistols are placed at the back of both of their heads, and a single actual round is placed through both of their skulls. There are no blaster bolts, two bullets. The bodies drop to the ground, jerking, as they are shot repeatedly until the bodies cease moving. "As you wish. Prisoner 198A." Of course... it hurts him. Korynn is not exactly a monster... he is just fanatically loyal to the Empire. At whatever cost. His parents would be proud in their ending moments, as is he. He closes his eyes at the gunshots, twitching at the sounds as his parents are seemingly murdered before his eyes. Fist still clenched, he peels open his eyes a moment later to observe their still bodies in silence. Then, he whispers a single phrase, an emotional weight filling his words while pride comes to his shoulders. Pride for his family. "Glory to the Empire." Acthpa already saw her parents killed for a less noble cause than this one so she doesn't react... apparently. Her hands are still clasped in her back, but during those two seconds, she holds them tightly. She is already convinced that Korynn is innocent so she doesn't see the purpose of this action. She frowns but say nothing - as usual. A pause comes from the Agent. He is apparently moved. Although it only shows for a brief moment in those dull, lifeless eyes, before he then snaps his fingers. The electric shock once again, yet this time it is simply left on. The Agent walks towards the exit of the room. "We will begin once again later. Come with me, Agent." The electric shock finally stops as Dreven Mercurio exits from the interrogation chamber.
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