Scarran Decimator, near Arnessk
Once aboard the Scarran ship, Stark and the others were led into a detention area and scanned for weapons. There were rather a lot of those amongst this group.
Yondalao turned to Stark, who was trying, and rather shockingly succeeding, to stay calm. The prayers he was feverishly whispering to himself seemed to be helping. "You lived among the Scarrans."
"Most of my life," Stark answered. "Assisted their dying rituals. Passage to the other side."
"Then you know their psyche," Yondalao said.
"As much as possible," Stark admitted. More than he wanted to know. More than anyone who wasn't Scarran should have to know.
"Assist me with that knowledge." The Eidelon's statement wasn't exactly a request but it wasn't an order either. Stark's impression of Scarrans was rather biased by their treatment of him and others. They were cruel and ambitious and thought nothing of any 'lesser beings' that might be in their way. Deaths of a few (or many) inferiors, particularly slaves, meant nothing to them except when they served a greater purpose. That purpose, of course, being the advancement of the Scarrans. He was unsure how this information could possibly be helpful to the peacemaking process but he was happy to assist if he could. He just didn't think he could.
Stark was about to tell Yondalao all of this when two members of the Scarran ruling caste entered. Recognizing the War Minister and Emperor, Stark shuddered but remained silent. Drawing attention to himself would not be wise. He knew he wasn't important, not compared to those he was with, but it was still better not to remind the Scarrans of the existence of their escaped Stykera. Not that he was theirs. He wasn't anyone's, as he so often reminded himself, but the Scarrans were likely to feel differently on the subject if they took the time to consider him.
D'Argo and Chiana's absence was noted by the Scarrans and heat probes to discern their whereabouts followed quickly. Rygel's pregnancy was nearly immediately discovered and he was carried off.
"I find it troubling that Humans and Sebaceans can propagate together, and intriguing," the Emperor said.
Stark, momentarily forgetting his desire to remain silent and unnoticed when his curiosity and confusion got the better of him, spoke up then. "How could you know that he was pregnant with their child?"
"The same way I knew to find you here," Emperor Staleek answered.
"A traitor," Sikozu said.
"But who?" Stark asked. Scorpius was out of the question. He was evil and deserved whatever horrors the universe threw at him, but he hated the Scarrans and surely he wouldn't have given them up. And the Kalish woman was disturbingly attached to Scorpius and was unlikely to do anything to do anything that he would so clearly disapprove of. Or so Stark thought. None of the others there in the cell would have sold out their friends' child. Who did that leave?
"Grunchlk," Scorpius said smoothly. Stark had to admit that made sense, if only to himself.
"Ah, they say one traitor can always recognize another," Staleek said as he stepped toward Scorpius. "If you hadn't facilitated Crichton's earlier escape, there would be peace now."
"With you the supreme ruler?"
"A position I know you dream of, Scorpius." Staleek reached out then for the cooling rods in Scorpius's head, eventually snapping the entire apparatus off. Uttering threats towards Rygel and the unborn child, Staleek left them there to consider their fates. Sikozu went to try and help Scorpius. Stark considered the merits of letting him die there, slowly.
A few moments and a brief conversation later, Crichton banged on the cell door demanding to make a deal. He was brought before Staleek, leaving the others in the cell.
[In just under the wire. Whee.]
Yondalao turned to Stark, who was trying, and rather shockingly succeeding, to stay calm. The prayers he was feverishly whispering to himself seemed to be helping. "You lived among the Scarrans."
"Most of my life," Stark answered. "Assisted their dying rituals. Passage to the other side."
"Then you know their psyche," Yondalao said.
"As much as possible," Stark admitted. More than he wanted to know. More than anyone who wasn't Scarran should have to know.
"Assist me with that knowledge." The Eidelon's statement wasn't exactly a request but it wasn't an order either. Stark's impression of Scarrans was rather biased by their treatment of him and others. They were cruel and ambitious and thought nothing of any 'lesser beings' that might be in their way. Deaths of a few (or many) inferiors, particularly slaves, meant nothing to them except when they served a greater purpose. That purpose, of course, being the advancement of the Scarrans. He was unsure how this information could possibly be helpful to the peacemaking process but he was happy to assist if he could. He just didn't think he could.
Stark was about to tell Yondalao all of this when two members of the Scarran ruling caste entered. Recognizing the War Minister and Emperor, Stark shuddered but remained silent. Drawing attention to himself would not be wise. He knew he wasn't important, not compared to those he was with, but it was still better not to remind the Scarrans of the existence of their escaped Stykera. Not that he was theirs. He wasn't anyone's, as he so often reminded himself, but the Scarrans were likely to feel differently on the subject if they took the time to consider him.
D'Argo and Chiana's absence was noted by the Scarrans and heat probes to discern their whereabouts followed quickly. Rygel's pregnancy was nearly immediately discovered and he was carried off.
"I find it troubling that Humans and Sebaceans can propagate together, and intriguing," the Emperor said.
Stark, momentarily forgetting his desire to remain silent and unnoticed when his curiosity and confusion got the better of him, spoke up then. "How could you know that he was pregnant with their child?"
"The same way I knew to find you here," Emperor Staleek answered.
"A traitor," Sikozu said.
"But who?" Stark asked. Scorpius was out of the question. He was evil and deserved whatever horrors the universe threw at him, but he hated the Scarrans and surely he wouldn't have given them up. And the Kalish woman was disturbingly attached to Scorpius and was unlikely to do anything to do anything that he would so clearly disapprove of. Or so Stark thought. None of the others there in the cell would have sold out their friends' child. Who did that leave?
"Grunchlk," Scorpius said smoothly. Stark had to admit that made sense, if only to himself.
"Ah, they say one traitor can always recognize another," Staleek said as he stepped toward Scorpius. "If you hadn't facilitated Crichton's earlier escape, there would be peace now."
"With you the supreme ruler?"
"A position I know you dream of, Scorpius." Staleek reached out then for the cooling rods in Scorpius's head, eventually snapping the entire apparatus off. Uttering threats towards Rygel and the unborn child, Staleek left them there to consider their fates. Sikozu went to try and help Scorpius. Stark considered the merits of letting him die there, slowly.
A few moments and a brief conversation later, Crichton banged on the cell door demanding to make a deal. He was brought before Staleek, leaving the others in the cell.
[In just under the wire. Whee.]