Fic: Altered Trajectory (cont.)
Eventually even Ru’s pain wracked body had to succumb to sheer overwrought exhaustion. He fell asleep in Hazel’s arms, and she eased herself down to snuggle with him not very comfortably on the lower bunk. She let her paw slip underneath his shirt to rest on his bare chest, feeling his artificial heart race, his breath going in and out much too fast as his unconscious wrestled with whatever demons the drug had unleashed in his mind. Eventually she fell asleep herself, only to awaken when the food slot at the bottom of the cell door was unlocked and two food trays shoved in.
“Ru, wake up. Feeding time,” she said, nudging him gently.
“Not hungry,” he murmured, blinking awake and squinting into the cell’s harsh light.
“Eat, or be fed. I’m still pretty handy with a spoon and a cup of gelatin,” she warned. Ru, thankfully, had enough spirit left in him to give her a sour look as he pushed himself into a sitting position. “Besides, you need all the strength you can get,” Hazel added.
“Maybe eating isn’t such a good idea then,” he said, staring down at the tray she placed in his lap without much enthusiasm. “I suppose falling unconscious from exhaustion if they try to question me would count as a victory in this situation.”
“Just eat Rufus.”
He made another face and dug into his tray with a plastic spork. But his hand still shook badly, and the glob of mushy brown protein fell back with a plop. Hazel took the spoon from his hand without another word and began feeding him. It was a measure of Ru's exhaustion that he didn't even complain at this bit of babying. She got him to eat about a third of the tray's contents before he swallowed down hard and held up his paw to stop her. “I don't think my stomach can handle another bite,” he said, laying back and clutching his belly gingerly.
“Fair enough,” Hazel agreed. She finished off her own tray before it completely congealed and left it by the door slot. To pass the time she pulled his foot pads into her lap and began rubbing them slowly, eliciting a pleased groan as he waggled his toes. “Once we get out of this, you owe me a proper vacation, Ru.”
“Assuming we survive, yes,” he agreed.
“Well there is that.” Hazel looked up, her ears flicking back as the cell door's magnetic seals unlatched and it slid open. Standing outside was Commander Blake and two guards. She looked down at them with barely concealed amusement.
“How very domestic you two look,” she noted. “I'm sorry to interrupt, but its time to chat again.”
The low growl started in Hazel's throat as she shifted Ru's feet off her lap and sat up straight. “You leave Rufus alone. Haven't you done enough to him already?”
“I don't want to do anything to him. I'm perfectly willing to leave him be and give him back his placebos. All he, or you, have to do is give me the passcodes for your ship's computer.”
Rufus took in a deep breath. “No. Absolutely not.”
Blake shook her head. “Noble to the core. And just as foolish. What about you, Miss Swiftfoot?”
“Shoot me up with whatever crap you have. I don't care,” she replied coolly.
“Oh, I have no intention of touching you. My ship's intel officer assured me that your addiction profile isn't quite optimum for chemical interrogation. Your boyfriend's is almost perfect.”
“I told you to leave him alone!” She rose up onto her feet, as the guards fingered their holstered stunners.
“It's all your choice now, Miss Swiftfoot. I suggest you think very...” Blake's little speech was interrupted by the beeping of the handcom at her belt. “Commander Blake here,” she said, flicking it open.
Commander, we're showing three ships on an intercept course with us, came a voice from the bridge. It appears to be a Dominion battlecruiser, the Scarlet Claw and an old Vulpine escort carrier.
Hazel glanced over at Rufus, who had the same surprised look she must have had right then. The Falcon Claw managed to track us! she thought quickly. We've got a chance! She looked back to Blake, who had half turned from the doorway to consult with her officer. One chance!
Before she could think twice about how insane what she was going to do seemed, Hazel jumped forward and tackled Blake to the ground, wrapping her arm around the human officer's neck and pressing her claws to her throat.
“Back off! Or tear her throat out!” she snarled to the guards as they raised their weapons. She tightened her grip as Blake tried to struggle. “None of that, Commander! We're leaving this ship, right now, or your going to see firsthand what my ancestors did during the Dominion War to survive!”