History is Written by the Victor - Part 2
History is Written by the Victor
Rating: NC-17 (overall)
Pairings: Jensen/Jared, Chris/Steve, Tom/Mike
Category: M/M, AU, Futuristic (i.e. it is set in space!)
Summary: The Core planets have declared war on the Rim planets. When Captain Ackles and his squadron are taken prisoner by the enemy, their jailer turns out to be a young man called Jared. What will Jared do when Jensen's interrogation begins?
http://lady-krystal-79.livejournal.com/23390.html
Part Two
“Mike!” Jeff called out as his assistant rushed by his door. Mike came back, sticking his head in. He entered the room and shut the door when Jeff beckoned him to do so. “How is your investigation going?”
With a heavy sigh, he reported, “It doesn’t look good. No one person worked on every single one of the fighters for Black Squadron. Either there was some never-before-seen glitch that hit them all at once, or this is a group effort.”
“I’m not sure I like either option, Mike.” Jeff muttered. That was all he needed.
“Me either.” Mike was glum. “Have you had any news from your sources?”
“I have.” His tone of voice wasn’t encouraging. “They are being held prisoner on the fleet flagship. Jensen was badly injured, but has just regained consciousness. They will begin interrogation any moment. The others suffered mostly superficial wounds. Tom is fine.” He added, and saw Mike relax just that little bit.
“Those are good sources?”
“Unquestionable.” Jeff confirmed. “Hang in there, Mike. We’ll get them back. In the mean time, keep concentrating on getting to the bottom of this fiasco.”
“Yes, Sir.”
***
”Wake up you Rim piece of scum.” Jensen woke at the sneer, jerking into further wakefulness when he received a painful blaster rifle barrel prod to his side. “Stand up, face the wall, and put your hands behind your back.”
Jensen considered fighting, but he knew it would just get him hurt. They would take him with or without his co-operation, and it was best to conserve whatever strength he had for what lay ahead. He stood up and was pleased when his head didn’t give him any further trouble.
“Get your hands off him, you poor excuse for shit.” That was Chris, snarling at the bars of his own cell. A second soldier turned and lifted his blaster at Chris. “Yeah.” He sneered. “You’re real brave facing an unarmed man in a cage. Why don’t you let me out of here and we’ll see...”
“It’s okay, Chris. Let it go.” Jensen tensed when he the EM cuffs close around his wrists, their electro-magnetic crackle flickering over his skin. The wrenched him around, needlessly rough, and started to drag him out of the cell block.
“We’ll wait here for you, Captain.” Mack called after him, and he smiled. It would be the last time he smiled for quite some time.
***
Jensen had lost track of how many times he had felt the searing agony of pure electricity tripping its way over every nerve in his body. The jagged screams tearing out of his throat were getting more and more distant with every shock. Along with the throbbing bruises, the deep stinging burns, and the sharp stabbing pain in his broken hand, this latest torment was slowly weakening him. It had only been three days, but they were determined to break him. His heart was fluttering in his chest like a terrified bird, and he idly wondered if it would slow down first or simply stop. He could vaguely hear voices above his head, but could not make out the words. He thought they might be asking him something, but he couldn’t comprehend the question. The shot of electricity hit him with the same shocking suddenness as all those that had come before it. Someone was screaming, but Jensen couldn’t help them right now. The darkness closed in around him.
***
Jared was there when Jensen was returned to his cell. Two soldiers carried him between them, hanging limply in their grasp. Once inside the cell, they dropped him, and he fell in the kind of boneless sprawl only the completely unconscious could achieve. Jared continued handing out breakfast to the four lieutenants, pretending indifference until the soldiers were gone.
Once the door hissed closed, Jared rushed to the fallen man’s side. He turned Jensen until his head rested in Jared’s lap and felt desperately for a pulse. It was there, beating too fast and erratically. Careful of the broken hand he was forbidden to touch, he unzipped and removed the top half of the captain’s jumpsuit. He made a quick catalogue of the injuries there, looking for new ones. When he saw the four perfect circles of reddened flesh, Jared knew what they had done this time, and curled over the insensate man, squeezing his eyes shut at the cruelty.
“Jared?” Chris’ voice was a quiet as it got. “What is it? What have they done?”
Jared looked up, real distress in his eyes. His one word answer came out tremulous. “Electroshock.”
Steve and Chris both sucked in a horrified breath. Tom hit the bars of his cell in frustrated helplessness before turning his back on them all, hiding the expression on his face. Mack was the one to ask, softly, “Is he going to be alright?”
“I don’t know.” Jared whispered, and then yelled, “I can’t do anything! I can’t...” His voice broke.
No one said anything. They all remained lost in their own thoughts while they kept vigil over their fallen captain. Jared remained sitting on the cold concrete floor, the captain’s head in his lap, gently brushing his fingers through short-cropped, dirty blond hair. Soothingly, he continued his strokes down over the smaller man’s forehead and across his sculpted cheekbones. Jared’s fingers itched to smooth over Jensen’s soft lips, but refrained. This was about comfort, not attraction, and Jensen had suffered enough without Jared taking advantage of his predicament.
Jared lost track of how long he sat there like that, but his legs were numb and his back was aching. Still he remained where he was. Finally, Jensen moaned, his body twitching in barely conscious pain. When his eyes eventually flickered open, they were dull and lifeless. They focused on Jared, but their expression stayed the same.
“Hi.” Jared smiled softly. “This is starting to become a thing with us, huh?” Jensen didn’t answer, just blinked. “That’s okay. Take your time. We’ll wait for you to come back to us.”
There was an almost imperceptible relaxing in Jensen’s body, but Jared was so attuned to him now that he felt it. Silence descended again on the cell block as they all waited, each wondering if they could have held out this long, if the next time they took him, Jensen would break, or if they would kill him in their relentless pursuit of knowledge.
From his vantage point, Jared saw when, finally, awareness edged into Jensen’s gaze. He saw as tears flooded the green eyes, a moment before they closed and the tears escaped to run, silently, over freckled, too-pale cheeks. Jared said nothing, didn’t move, only continued to run his fingers through Jensen’s hair. A few minutes later, the tears stopped as suddenly as they had started, and Jensen opened his eyes again.
“Why?” It was the first thing Jensen murmured in his ragged voice.
“Because they think you have information they want to know and you refuse to give it to them.” Jared wondered just how out of it the other man was.
Jensen shook his head, brief annoyance flickering across his face. “Why...you...care?”
“Oh.” Jared felt his face heat in a blush. “I think you’re a good man, and I don’t believe any man deserves to be treated as you have been.” Even softer, he added, “I don’t like to see you hurt.”
“Nice.” Jensen whispered, his eyes falling closed again. He wasn’t unconscious, but he was asleep. Jared managed to get him to his bed and covered by a blanket without waking him. He was about to leave when Doc Beaver entered.
“Hey, Doc. What’re you doing here?” Jared gave a small smile, the best he could muster.
“I’ve come to check on my concussion patient.” The older man answered, nodding his head at Jensen.
Jared blinked. Jensen hadn’t been concussed. Then he realised what the doctor was really saying. His eyes went wide. Demurely, he told him, “I have been ordered not to give him any medical attention.”
Beaver’s eyes narrowed in anger.”I have received no such orders, nor will I. The Hippocratic Oath dates back to Ancient Earth, and it obligates me to provide care to all who need it. Out of that cell now, and let me do my job.”
Jared leaped to obey. He knew the doctor wasn’t angry at him. He was giving Jared an out should his superiors make a fuss. The smile he bestowed on Doc Beaver this time was huge, causing his dimples to make themselves known. Jared heard the doctor mumble something about recruiting kids nowadays, but ignored it in favour of positioning himself where he would have the best view of the proceedings.
“Tell me what you know.” Beaver ordered, simply looking down at Jensen’s exhausted face.
“The first time I think they tried the oldest method in the book; beating the information out of him. He’s black and blue under that blanket. The second time, they used hot brands on him. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget the smell of burnt human flesh.” Jared took a breath to steady himself at the memory. “When that didn’t work either, they used some kind of torture rack on him. They broke his fingers.” The doctor drew in a sharp breath but said nothing. He didn’t have to. Jared understood how such barbaric treatment would be anathema to the other man. “This last time it looks like they tried electroshock.” Jared’s voice trembled.
“Okay.” Beaver sighed, then again, “Okay. Wake up, Captain. I need to check you over. Come on, that’s it.” Jared saw Jensen stir and heard him moan. “You seem to be in a bit of a mess, kiddo.”
Jensen gave a soft huff of laughter. “No one’s called me that in a long time, Doc.” There was a beat of silence, and then Jensen murmured, “You know this’ll bring you trouble.”
“They don’t like it, they can shove it where the sun don’t shine, and I’ll check it with my trusty thermometer from time to time.” Jensen gave another one of those huffs. “Now, lie still. I need to do a full body scan on you; see what kind of damage they’ve done.” Laying still was no problem for his patient, and the doctor ran his scanner quickly up and down his body. Reading the results rushing onto the screen, Beaver relaxed somewhat. “Well. Unbelievably, your injuries are mostly superficial. The bruises are deep, but the blows didn’t damage your organs. I imagine the burns are painful, but they can be fixed. Your heart is still a little fast after the electroshock, but the rest you’ll get once I stop hassling you should be all that’s needed there. That only leaves your hand. The good news is; it isn’t actually broken. The bad news is that the joints need to be re-aligned. That procedure is going to cause you more pain.”
“Lay it on me, Doc.” Jensen was resigned.
“I’m not sure your body can take the shock, all things considered. I’d rather give you an anaesthetic, but if the interrogator is following his standard treatment, you don’t want any extra drugs in your system.” Jensen raised a questioning brow. “You think you’re the first prisoner I’ve tended to, boy? I’ve seen things you don’t want to know about.”
“I believe you. Look, it hurts now anyway, so putting it straight can’t do any more harm.”
“Okay. Well, first, let’s get flesh patches onto those burns.” Beaver reached into his medical kit and took out a container of patches. He applied them with a speed born of practice. Looking at the final result, he diagnosed, “You’ll need another couple of applications before they clear up, but you shouldn’t have any permanent scars.” He turned around and looked at the man standing outside the cell. “I’m going to need your help. You willing to risk it?”
Jared didn’t even hesitate. He nodded and moved to the doctor’s side. Beaver gave him an approving look, but Jensen looked up at him confused. “Why’re you risking your career for this? The doc here I get, but you... I’m the enemy, or have you forgotten that?”
“I can’t explain the whys and why nots to you right now. You just have to accept that I’m willing.” Jared looked down implacably and Jensen, after a moment’s thought, gave him a terse nod.
Beaver cocked an eyebrow but made no comment. Focusing on the task at hand, he told Jared, “I need you to get on the bed, up near the head, and then brace Jensen against yourself so you can hold his torso still. You”, he told Jensen, “just lay still and let us do the manoeuvring.”
They, not surprisingly, did as they were told. Jared ended up sitting up at the head of the bed, his back resting against the wall. Gently, he grasped Jensen at his armpits and pulled him up so his back was to Jared’s chest, Jared’s long legs either side of Jensen’s body. Jensen, for his part, let him do it without resistance. Leaving Jensen’s left arm - and injured hand - free, Jared wrapped his arms around the smaller man. Beaver nodded at the arrangement and picked up the Captain’s hand. He started with the pinkie, pulling the finger straight and popping the joint back into its socket. Jensen jerked and sucked in a shocked breath.
“Are you sure about this?” Beaver knew that the young man’s pain defences had been beaten to hell over the last few days.
“Yes.” Jensen gritted out.
The doctor shook his head and sighed, but moved on to the ring finger. Jared tightened his hold as Jensen tried to twist away. He felt sick hearing the noise of shifting bones, and more so when Jensen’s resolve broke and his breath escaped on a hurt whimper. The middle finger came next and was, by far, the worst injured. Jensen was already panting, and Jared knew that his stubbornly fighting to keep silent wasn’t helping, so he raised his hand and clamped it firmly over Jensen’s mouth. This time, the doctor didn’t only pull the finger straight, but also twisted it slightly to realign it, thus taking longer to fix the appendage. Jensen couldn’t help but scream into Jared’s hand, his whole body rigid in Jared’s grasp. Jared felt his eyes burn when the wet heat of Jensen’s tears met his hand. Beaver didn’t hesitate, or give respite; taking the last finger - his thumb had somehow remained unharmed - in his sturdy grip and moving it into place. Already wrecked, Jensen only gave a deep sob behind the confines of Jared’s hand.
“Now, now. Easy there.” Beaver gruffly comforted the hurt man. “It’s done. Can you move your fingers for me?”
Jared removed his hand and relaxed his hold, but didn’t entirely let go of the trembling captain. Jensen lifted his hand, looking at it before bracing himself and slowly moving his fingers. He winced slightly, but nodded at the doctor. “They’re...” His voice broke, hoarse, forcing him to clear his throat and try again. “They’re tender, but otherwise it’s fine.”
“Okay, then. Well. It’s best if you get some rest now. I’ve no doubt they’ll be back for you soon.”
“Yeah.” Jensen agreed without enthusiasm. He looked over his shoulder at Jared. “You, ah, can let me go now.”
Jared let him go like he was suddenly holding hot coals and, damn, his face flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry.” Jensen shrugged, unconcerned, and moved forward so Jared could manoeuvre out from behind him. He had barely taken a step out of the cell, Beaver on his heels, when the door whooshed open to reveal a man dressed, from head to toe, in black, a Captain’s insignia on his arm the only relief.
The Captain was known throughout the fleet as ‘The Spider’. It was partly due to the man’s name - Spidaras - and partly to do with his appearance. He was a tall man, though not compared to Jared, and slim with it. His long, thin arms and legs added to the effect, as did his spindly fingers. He was pale in his dark clothes; his hair was almost white blonde, and his grey eyes almost colourless. Also, just as his namesake, he had the potential to be lethal. This was Jensen’s tormentor.
“You were ordered not to give aid to this prisoner.” His clipped, precise voice was without inflection, and all the more cutting for the lack.
Jared opened his mouth to answer, but Beaver beat him to it. “This man recently suffered a head injury and I returned to check on him. It was my duty to treat him. The boy had no say in the matter.”
“Very commendable, Doctor.” The minutest change in face and tone suggested sardonic amusement. “And since you are the most qualified man present, you may be the one to administer the first dose of our new Serum.” He held up a small vial with clear blue liquid inside.
Beaver actually paled. “You can’t give him that! You don’t know what it will do.”
The smile that came to the Captain’s face was chilling. “And how are we to ever know if we do not test it? We know he will tell us what we wish to know. After that it is of little more than clinical interest what happens to him.”
“It is against all codes, legal and moral, to kill a prisoner of war.” The doctor gritted out between clenched teeth.
“Kill?” False innocence was a joke for The Spider. “No one said we would kill him. Just an accident... Besides,” he concluded, unruffled, “we don’t know that it will kill him.”
“You monster!” That was Mack, fearful and furious in her cell.
“I won’t do it.” Beaver stated.
“You will, Doctor, or I shall have you imprisoned alongside him.”
“Hey, Doc.” Jensen’s voice interrupted what would have been an explosive response from Beaver. “Better you do it than this joker.”
The Spider glowered, his lips pulling thin with displeasure. It was clear that the man actually hated the other Captain. He was a man that didn’t like to be thwarted, and Jensen’s stubborn refusal to talk - and his success at remaining silent so far - was damaging his reputation. So it was with obvious relish that he handed the vial of Serum to Beaver.
Reluctantly, the doctor took the vial and attached it to his pressure syringe. He moved back to the young man’s side and looked down into grim green eyes. Jensen gave him a nod, his permission, and Beaver sighed as he placed the syringe to the man’s arm and pressed the trigger. The blue liquid disappeared in a rush.
“Thank you, Doctor.” The Spider intoned. “Now we shall...”
The loud, unmistakeable sound of the Battle Cruiser taking heavy fire suddenly echoed through the room, quickly followed by klaxon bells, announcements to man battle stations, and the flashing of orange emergency lights. In his cell, Chris crowed, “That’ll be the cavalry!”
The comm on The Spider’s lapel came to life. “Captain Spidaras. You’re required on the Bridge.”
“What is it?” He snapped, his eyes watching Jensen as he began to pant and shake.
“I don’t know, sir. The Admiral requested it. I think he mentioned something about our position having been leaked...?”
“I’ll be right there.” He looked at Jensen dispassionately. “I will be back for you, Captain. This is only a brief reprieve.” With that, he swept out of the room.
http://lady-krystal-79.livejournal.com/24010.html
Rating: NC-17 (overall)
Pairings: Jensen/Jared, Chris/Steve, Tom/Mike
Category: M/M, AU, Futuristic (i.e. it is set in space!)
Summary: The Core planets have declared war on the Rim planets. When Captain Ackles and his squadron are taken prisoner by the enemy, their jailer turns out to be a young man called Jared. What will Jared do when Jensen's interrogation begins?
http://lady-krystal-79.livejournal.com/23390.html
Part Two
“Mike!” Jeff called out as his assistant rushed by his door. Mike came back, sticking his head in. He entered the room and shut the door when Jeff beckoned him to do so. “How is your investigation going?”
With a heavy sigh, he reported, “It doesn’t look good. No one person worked on every single one of the fighters for Black Squadron. Either there was some never-before-seen glitch that hit them all at once, or this is a group effort.”
“I’m not sure I like either option, Mike.” Jeff muttered. That was all he needed.
“Me either.” Mike was glum. “Have you had any news from your sources?”
“I have.” His tone of voice wasn’t encouraging. “They are being held prisoner on the fleet flagship. Jensen was badly injured, but has just regained consciousness. They will begin interrogation any moment. The others suffered mostly superficial wounds. Tom is fine.” He added, and saw Mike relax just that little bit.
“Those are good sources?”
“Unquestionable.” Jeff confirmed. “Hang in there, Mike. We’ll get them back. In the mean time, keep concentrating on getting to the bottom of this fiasco.”
“Yes, Sir.”
***
”Wake up you Rim piece of scum.” Jensen woke at the sneer, jerking into further wakefulness when he received a painful blaster rifle barrel prod to his side. “Stand up, face the wall, and put your hands behind your back.”
Jensen considered fighting, but he knew it would just get him hurt. They would take him with or without his co-operation, and it was best to conserve whatever strength he had for what lay ahead. He stood up and was pleased when his head didn’t give him any further trouble.
“Get your hands off him, you poor excuse for shit.” That was Chris, snarling at the bars of his own cell. A second soldier turned and lifted his blaster at Chris. “Yeah.” He sneered. “You’re real brave facing an unarmed man in a cage. Why don’t you let me out of here and we’ll see...”
“It’s okay, Chris. Let it go.” Jensen tensed when he the EM cuffs close around his wrists, their electro-magnetic crackle flickering over his skin. The wrenched him around, needlessly rough, and started to drag him out of the cell block.
“We’ll wait here for you, Captain.” Mack called after him, and he smiled. It would be the last time he smiled for quite some time.
***
Jensen had lost track of how many times he had felt the searing agony of pure electricity tripping its way over every nerve in his body. The jagged screams tearing out of his throat were getting more and more distant with every shock. Along with the throbbing bruises, the deep stinging burns, and the sharp stabbing pain in his broken hand, this latest torment was slowly weakening him. It had only been three days, but they were determined to break him. His heart was fluttering in his chest like a terrified bird, and he idly wondered if it would slow down first or simply stop. He could vaguely hear voices above his head, but could not make out the words. He thought they might be asking him something, but he couldn’t comprehend the question. The shot of electricity hit him with the same shocking suddenness as all those that had come before it. Someone was screaming, but Jensen couldn’t help them right now. The darkness closed in around him.
***
Jared was there when Jensen was returned to his cell. Two soldiers carried him between them, hanging limply in their grasp. Once inside the cell, they dropped him, and he fell in the kind of boneless sprawl only the completely unconscious could achieve. Jared continued handing out breakfast to the four lieutenants, pretending indifference until the soldiers were gone.
Once the door hissed closed, Jared rushed to the fallen man’s side. He turned Jensen until his head rested in Jared’s lap and felt desperately for a pulse. It was there, beating too fast and erratically. Careful of the broken hand he was forbidden to touch, he unzipped and removed the top half of the captain’s jumpsuit. He made a quick catalogue of the injuries there, looking for new ones. When he saw the four perfect circles of reddened flesh, Jared knew what they had done this time, and curled over the insensate man, squeezing his eyes shut at the cruelty.
“Jared?” Chris’ voice was a quiet as it got. “What is it? What have they done?”
Jared looked up, real distress in his eyes. His one word answer came out tremulous. “Electroshock.”
Steve and Chris both sucked in a horrified breath. Tom hit the bars of his cell in frustrated helplessness before turning his back on them all, hiding the expression on his face. Mack was the one to ask, softly, “Is he going to be alright?”
“I don’t know.” Jared whispered, and then yelled, “I can’t do anything! I can’t...” His voice broke.
No one said anything. They all remained lost in their own thoughts while they kept vigil over their fallen captain. Jared remained sitting on the cold concrete floor, the captain’s head in his lap, gently brushing his fingers through short-cropped, dirty blond hair. Soothingly, he continued his strokes down over the smaller man’s forehead and across his sculpted cheekbones. Jared’s fingers itched to smooth over Jensen’s soft lips, but refrained. This was about comfort, not attraction, and Jensen had suffered enough without Jared taking advantage of his predicament.
Jared lost track of how long he sat there like that, but his legs were numb and his back was aching. Still he remained where he was. Finally, Jensen moaned, his body twitching in barely conscious pain. When his eyes eventually flickered open, they were dull and lifeless. They focused on Jared, but their expression stayed the same.
“Hi.” Jared smiled softly. “This is starting to become a thing with us, huh?” Jensen didn’t answer, just blinked. “That’s okay. Take your time. We’ll wait for you to come back to us.”
There was an almost imperceptible relaxing in Jensen’s body, but Jared was so attuned to him now that he felt it. Silence descended again on the cell block as they all waited, each wondering if they could have held out this long, if the next time they took him, Jensen would break, or if they would kill him in their relentless pursuit of knowledge.
From his vantage point, Jared saw when, finally, awareness edged into Jensen’s gaze. He saw as tears flooded the green eyes, a moment before they closed and the tears escaped to run, silently, over freckled, too-pale cheeks. Jared said nothing, didn’t move, only continued to run his fingers through Jensen’s hair. A few minutes later, the tears stopped as suddenly as they had started, and Jensen opened his eyes again.
“Why?” It was the first thing Jensen murmured in his ragged voice.
“Because they think you have information they want to know and you refuse to give it to them.” Jared wondered just how out of it the other man was.
Jensen shook his head, brief annoyance flickering across his face. “Why...you...care?”
“Oh.” Jared felt his face heat in a blush. “I think you’re a good man, and I don’t believe any man deserves to be treated as you have been.” Even softer, he added, “I don’t like to see you hurt.”
“Nice.” Jensen whispered, his eyes falling closed again. He wasn’t unconscious, but he was asleep. Jared managed to get him to his bed and covered by a blanket without waking him. He was about to leave when Doc Beaver entered.
“Hey, Doc. What’re you doing here?” Jared gave a small smile, the best he could muster.
“I’ve come to check on my concussion patient.” The older man answered, nodding his head at Jensen.
Jared blinked. Jensen hadn’t been concussed. Then he realised what the doctor was really saying. His eyes went wide. Demurely, he told him, “I have been ordered not to give him any medical attention.”
Beaver’s eyes narrowed in anger.”I have received no such orders, nor will I. The Hippocratic Oath dates back to Ancient Earth, and it obligates me to provide care to all who need it. Out of that cell now, and let me do my job.”
Jared leaped to obey. He knew the doctor wasn’t angry at him. He was giving Jared an out should his superiors make a fuss. The smile he bestowed on Doc Beaver this time was huge, causing his dimples to make themselves known. Jared heard the doctor mumble something about recruiting kids nowadays, but ignored it in favour of positioning himself where he would have the best view of the proceedings.
“Tell me what you know.” Beaver ordered, simply looking down at Jensen’s exhausted face.
“The first time I think they tried the oldest method in the book; beating the information out of him. He’s black and blue under that blanket. The second time, they used hot brands on him. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget the smell of burnt human flesh.” Jared took a breath to steady himself at the memory. “When that didn’t work either, they used some kind of torture rack on him. They broke his fingers.” The doctor drew in a sharp breath but said nothing. He didn’t have to. Jared understood how such barbaric treatment would be anathema to the other man. “This last time it looks like they tried electroshock.” Jared’s voice trembled.
“Okay.” Beaver sighed, then again, “Okay. Wake up, Captain. I need to check you over. Come on, that’s it.” Jared saw Jensen stir and heard him moan. “You seem to be in a bit of a mess, kiddo.”
Jensen gave a soft huff of laughter. “No one’s called me that in a long time, Doc.” There was a beat of silence, and then Jensen murmured, “You know this’ll bring you trouble.”
“They don’t like it, they can shove it where the sun don’t shine, and I’ll check it with my trusty thermometer from time to time.” Jensen gave another one of those huffs. “Now, lie still. I need to do a full body scan on you; see what kind of damage they’ve done.” Laying still was no problem for his patient, and the doctor ran his scanner quickly up and down his body. Reading the results rushing onto the screen, Beaver relaxed somewhat. “Well. Unbelievably, your injuries are mostly superficial. The bruises are deep, but the blows didn’t damage your organs. I imagine the burns are painful, but they can be fixed. Your heart is still a little fast after the electroshock, but the rest you’ll get once I stop hassling you should be all that’s needed there. That only leaves your hand. The good news is; it isn’t actually broken. The bad news is that the joints need to be re-aligned. That procedure is going to cause you more pain.”
“Lay it on me, Doc.” Jensen was resigned.
“I’m not sure your body can take the shock, all things considered. I’d rather give you an anaesthetic, but if the interrogator is following his standard treatment, you don’t want any extra drugs in your system.” Jensen raised a questioning brow. “You think you’re the first prisoner I’ve tended to, boy? I’ve seen things you don’t want to know about.”
“I believe you. Look, it hurts now anyway, so putting it straight can’t do any more harm.”
“Okay. Well, first, let’s get flesh patches onto those burns.” Beaver reached into his medical kit and took out a container of patches. He applied them with a speed born of practice. Looking at the final result, he diagnosed, “You’ll need another couple of applications before they clear up, but you shouldn’t have any permanent scars.” He turned around and looked at the man standing outside the cell. “I’m going to need your help. You willing to risk it?”
Jared didn’t even hesitate. He nodded and moved to the doctor’s side. Beaver gave him an approving look, but Jensen looked up at him confused. “Why’re you risking your career for this? The doc here I get, but you... I’m the enemy, or have you forgotten that?”
“I can’t explain the whys and why nots to you right now. You just have to accept that I’m willing.” Jared looked down implacably and Jensen, after a moment’s thought, gave him a terse nod.
Beaver cocked an eyebrow but made no comment. Focusing on the task at hand, he told Jared, “I need you to get on the bed, up near the head, and then brace Jensen against yourself so you can hold his torso still. You”, he told Jensen, “just lay still and let us do the manoeuvring.”
They, not surprisingly, did as they were told. Jared ended up sitting up at the head of the bed, his back resting against the wall. Gently, he grasped Jensen at his armpits and pulled him up so his back was to Jared’s chest, Jared’s long legs either side of Jensen’s body. Jensen, for his part, let him do it without resistance. Leaving Jensen’s left arm - and injured hand - free, Jared wrapped his arms around the smaller man. Beaver nodded at the arrangement and picked up the Captain’s hand. He started with the pinkie, pulling the finger straight and popping the joint back into its socket. Jensen jerked and sucked in a shocked breath.
“Are you sure about this?” Beaver knew that the young man’s pain defences had been beaten to hell over the last few days.
“Yes.” Jensen gritted out.
The doctor shook his head and sighed, but moved on to the ring finger. Jared tightened his hold as Jensen tried to twist away. He felt sick hearing the noise of shifting bones, and more so when Jensen’s resolve broke and his breath escaped on a hurt whimper. The middle finger came next and was, by far, the worst injured. Jensen was already panting, and Jared knew that his stubbornly fighting to keep silent wasn’t helping, so he raised his hand and clamped it firmly over Jensen’s mouth. This time, the doctor didn’t only pull the finger straight, but also twisted it slightly to realign it, thus taking longer to fix the appendage. Jensen couldn’t help but scream into Jared’s hand, his whole body rigid in Jared’s grasp. Jared felt his eyes burn when the wet heat of Jensen’s tears met his hand. Beaver didn’t hesitate, or give respite; taking the last finger - his thumb had somehow remained unharmed - in his sturdy grip and moving it into place. Already wrecked, Jensen only gave a deep sob behind the confines of Jared’s hand.
“Now, now. Easy there.” Beaver gruffly comforted the hurt man. “It’s done. Can you move your fingers for me?”
Jared removed his hand and relaxed his hold, but didn’t entirely let go of the trembling captain. Jensen lifted his hand, looking at it before bracing himself and slowly moving his fingers. He winced slightly, but nodded at the doctor. “They’re...” His voice broke, hoarse, forcing him to clear his throat and try again. “They’re tender, but otherwise it’s fine.”
“Okay, then. Well. It’s best if you get some rest now. I’ve no doubt they’ll be back for you soon.”
“Yeah.” Jensen agreed without enthusiasm. He looked over his shoulder at Jared. “You, ah, can let me go now.”
Jared let him go like he was suddenly holding hot coals and, damn, his face flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry.” Jensen shrugged, unconcerned, and moved forward so Jared could manoeuvre out from behind him. He had barely taken a step out of the cell, Beaver on his heels, when the door whooshed open to reveal a man dressed, from head to toe, in black, a Captain’s insignia on his arm the only relief.
The Captain was known throughout the fleet as ‘The Spider’. It was partly due to the man’s name - Spidaras - and partly to do with his appearance. He was a tall man, though not compared to Jared, and slim with it. His long, thin arms and legs added to the effect, as did his spindly fingers. He was pale in his dark clothes; his hair was almost white blonde, and his grey eyes almost colourless. Also, just as his namesake, he had the potential to be lethal. This was Jensen’s tormentor.
“You were ordered not to give aid to this prisoner.” His clipped, precise voice was without inflection, and all the more cutting for the lack.
Jared opened his mouth to answer, but Beaver beat him to it. “This man recently suffered a head injury and I returned to check on him. It was my duty to treat him. The boy had no say in the matter.”
“Very commendable, Doctor.” The minutest change in face and tone suggested sardonic amusement. “And since you are the most qualified man present, you may be the one to administer the first dose of our new Serum.” He held up a small vial with clear blue liquid inside.
Beaver actually paled. “You can’t give him that! You don’t know what it will do.”
The smile that came to the Captain’s face was chilling. “And how are we to ever know if we do not test it? We know he will tell us what we wish to know. After that it is of little more than clinical interest what happens to him.”
“It is against all codes, legal and moral, to kill a prisoner of war.” The doctor gritted out between clenched teeth.
“Kill?” False innocence was a joke for The Spider. “No one said we would kill him. Just an accident... Besides,” he concluded, unruffled, “we don’t know that it will kill him.”
“You monster!” That was Mack, fearful and furious in her cell.
“I won’t do it.” Beaver stated.
“You will, Doctor, or I shall have you imprisoned alongside him.”
“Hey, Doc.” Jensen’s voice interrupted what would have been an explosive response from Beaver. “Better you do it than this joker.”
The Spider glowered, his lips pulling thin with displeasure. It was clear that the man actually hated the other Captain. He was a man that didn’t like to be thwarted, and Jensen’s stubborn refusal to talk - and his success at remaining silent so far - was damaging his reputation. So it was with obvious relish that he handed the vial of Serum to Beaver.
Reluctantly, the doctor took the vial and attached it to his pressure syringe. He moved back to the young man’s side and looked down into grim green eyes. Jensen gave him a nod, his permission, and Beaver sighed as he placed the syringe to the man’s arm and pressed the trigger. The blue liquid disappeared in a rush.
“Thank you, Doctor.” The Spider intoned. “Now we shall...”
The loud, unmistakeable sound of the Battle Cruiser taking heavy fire suddenly echoed through the room, quickly followed by klaxon bells, announcements to man battle stations, and the flashing of orange emergency lights. In his cell, Chris crowed, “That’ll be the cavalry!”
The comm on The Spider’s lapel came to life. “Captain Spidaras. You’re required on the Bridge.”
“What is it?” He snapped, his eyes watching Jensen as he began to pant and shake.
“I don’t know, sir. The Admiral requested it. I think he mentioned something about our position having been leaked...?”
“I’ll be right there.” He looked at Jensen dispassionately. “I will be back for you, Captain. This is only a brief reprieve.” With that, he swept out of the room.
http://lady-krystal-79.livejournal.com/24010.html