Khendon’s Inferno: The Ninth Circle

[Khendon Sevon]

The metallic, throaty sound of Train Wrecked Flying Monkeys blasted from a series of high-volume speakers. The mind-dazing, neo-durasteel Delteon rock blared with select tracks from the band’s debut album River of Rot. The self described “ion band gone h-space” played on a continuous loop, screeching vocals mixing with trance-like tones followed by assaults of heavy rifts and deep rushes of chords.

A flickering glow panel incessantly lit then extinguished itself in one of the most perturbing displays of electrical wiring ever present in a modern facility. The small, long room was constantly being filled by a bright, harsh white light only to fall back into complete darkness to be followed by a mind-numbing eruption of blinding whiteness.

Khendon leaned over a technician’s shoulder and frowned, “tighten her restraints a fraction of a centimeter. Increase the humidity by twelve points. I’ll be back in an hour to begin. Have the volume increase half a decibel every minute until I return.” The Imperator’s voice was all work.

He walked out of the control room to go get a stimcaf.

[R. S. Esalis]

Her eyes refused to open, but still the light filtered painfully through her eyelids. Her hands bound together, R. S. Esalis sat stoically in the far end of the room, enduring the "music" as it was pumped into the narrow room. She made no sound, no cry or utterance, and certainly no move as time dragged on.

She felt her restraints tighten almost impercebtably, and found herself grimacing. Yet, that was the only show of discomfort that she had granted herself. Remaining calm and collected was something she had cultivated over her years, and even in the face of torture at the hands of Khendon Sevon she kept silent.

Esalis let her head fall back to hit the wall, allowing the sporadic flashes of light to wash over her. She was sweating, beads of persperation forming on her brow to trickle down her face. She did not lament her situation, nor did she cry out in frustration. Instead, the Grand Inquisitor remained patient for the torment she knew would follow.

And the music steadily grew in volume...

[Khendon Sevon]

Khendon returned to the control room with a cardboard container filled with cups of caf. He looked at the yawning technician and handed him one of the enhanced drinks, “Take a break, I have some things to do. Have the guards leave this wing of the facility… the walls are too,” the Imperator looked for the word, “thin.”

As the younger man left Khendon frowned down at the complex control console. The leader of the Federacy thumbed down the humidity to zero and paused for a moment, enjoying the variety of options to choose from. The Imperator tapped a display and pushed a few buttons. The temperature in the small room dropped drastically.

The former Vice-Diktat keyed in a complex string of numbers and letters and linked his neural implant to the scheme of controls. With a turn he picked up the tray of cups and entered the long-thin room where his “patient” was being housed.

A neural impulse closed the heavy blastdoor behind Khendon. He mentally lowered the volume of the music and changed tracks. A subtle, sweet symphony of electronic noises gently played in the confines of the chamber.

The dark warrior sat down on the far side from his guest, instantly feeling the constriction of the room’s design. His shoulders bumped the walls on either side and he frowned in reaction. “A bit tight, don’t you think? And awfully cold,” Khendon breathed out with lips purses and observed the pattern of the white mist.

[R. S. Esalis]

The sudden drop in temperature came as no surprise - she herself had used such a tactic numerous times when dealing with those in her charge. If she'd chosen to open her eyes, Esalis would have seen her breath before her as she breathed. As it was, she could feel the sweat on her face growing cold.

At his words though, the Grand Inquisitor opened her eyes, turning her head to look at Sevon. Ice blue eyes were both bloodshot, the victims of merciless barrages of flickering and pulsating light - the only outward sign of what she had endured thus far.

She barked a laugh then. "Sevon, I am no stranger to this treatment. I have no interest in such trivial chitchat, so I suggest you get on with the macabre ritual both of us know so well."

[Khendon Sevon]

Khendon smiled broadly and nodded, “Esalis, you’ll never surprise me.” With a moment of concentration the lighting in the room stabilized, the temperature became comfortable. “So, off and done with all of the fancy techniques and silly mind games.”

The Imperator stood and walked towards the woman. He took a knee several feet away from her and winked, “Which part do you want to skip to?” Khendon’s face suddenly became as serious as death; the music began to build in intensity.

“Should I start by detaching your pinky?” The dark jedi removed a small case from the inside of his jacket and placed it on the floor in front of him. He opened the shell and turned the contents towards his patient.

With a deft move he retrieved a rusted and blood stained wrench-like device. Other utilities within the case were just as arcane. Interestingly, only one appeared to be clean and unused. A single, sharp, jagged blade reminiscent of brass knuckles reflected the gore of the other unpolished mechanisms.

“We could always skip to the part where you tell me where Kyry is… but that would ruin the fun, wouldn’t it?”

[R. S. Esalis]

Esalis gave another clipped laugh as she watched Sevon retrieve his instruments. "An eye for an eye, is it? Such pettiness suits you so well."

Her eyes narrowed then, and with a terrible tone in her voice, she went on. "But you see, I am not with child as your wife is. I will have no offspring that you can turn against me and indoctrinate.

"Tell me Sevon, how will it feel when your own child looks upon you with hate and revulsion?"

[Khendon Sevon]

Khendon’s face appeared to become even cooler; his visage’s humanity left like the receding waters of a sun-scorched world. The lighting in the room dimmed ever so slightly as the dark man’s emotions coiled around his soul and twisted, and twisted.

If evil could be personified, it had just been. The Imperator’s voice was harsh and cold, it seethed with magma and brimstone, “Esalis, you will out live me, I will guarantee that. I will spare no expense to do so. I will ensure that you are preserved.

“That is right, you will be alive… and lonely, and cold. Every morning you will wake with pain beyond your wildest dreams, and that pain will grow like a child in your womb. It will mature, as your body no longer is capable of reading the sting of living I will have new nerves grown and grafted for your pleasure.

“There will be no ‘getting accustomed’ to the tortures inflicted upon your frail body. You will be on death’s doorstep without the possibility of passing on!” Khendon threw the torture tool at the black-hearted woman and picked up the shimmering knuckle blades.

With the intensity of a tornado the Imperator burst forward towards the woman.

[R. S. Esalis]

She deflected the tool he'd thrown at her, squaring her body against the oncoming storm barreling down the length of the room at her. Her words had sparked him, and she allowed a smile to emerge upon her lips.

Esalis readied herself, leg muscles tense as he approached like a galeforce solarstorm.

"Your child will only see a monster!" she yelled at him, "A monster who wallows in the death and destruction of others, and rapes their planets - all the while drinking from chalices crafted of human bone!"

And that was when her leg lashed out, aimed for Sevon's left knee.

[Khendon Sevon]

Khendon ground hit teeth as he sent a wave of invisible energy towards Esalis. Although the dark one had responded quickly, it wasn’t quite fast enough. The woman’s attack clipped his shin as she flew into the hard, duracrete wall.

The Imperator bit his lip in pain and frustration and clenches his left fist. An invisible rope tightened around his prey’s neck like a noose. He ordered the force to do his bidding, commanded it to take the breath away from that, “STONE-HEARTED BITCH!”

With a flick of his wrist Khendon sent the woman face first into the gray floor and shoved his knee into the small of her back. He leaned with all of his weight.

[R. S. Esalis]

The sheer force of his power caught her unawares, and Esalis hit the wall, breath knocked from her lungs. And yet when she attempted to suck air into her lungs, she could not. She did not panic - Sevon would not kill her yet. His seething words reached her ears then, and she managed a leering, serpent's grin.

And then she was sent to the concrete floor once more, Sevon's knee grinding into the small of her back. She let out a gasp then as he applied the entirety of his weight.

"Perhaps I will raise your child," she managed to rasp, "I'm sure I could do a better job than some knocked-up plaything you call a wife."

[Khendon Sevon]

Khendon’s work took over; he ignored the voice of the liar, the traitor, the Judas. His hands were well versed in the delicacies of revenge. The Imperator took a great lump of Esalis’s dark, rich hair and, with a stiff motion, pulled it back hard, her head followed suit.

“Maybe this will remind you of where you are.” The dark jedi gripped the knuckle blade tightly and took the first swipe at the tight bundle of hair. The edge slid and a great tuft of flesh was pulled free from the force of the punch-like motion.

“Oh, I forgot!” Khendon smiled, “I never sharpened the blade! Oh well,” a sneer grew on the man’s face. He continued his dark deed.

[R. S. Esalis]

She endured the pain in silence, feeling as flesh was pulled away along with hair.

"Your methods are barbaric," she gasped as another handful of hair and flesh came away.

"I'll be sure to visit the same treatment upon your wife though.

"As a gift from her husband."

[Khendon Sevon]

Khendon watched in silence as the last of Esalis’s beautiful hair fell to the hard, cold floor. His hands were covered in thin, crimson blood. The dull blade’s glean had gone, scarlet was all that remained.

“You bring this on yourself, I hope you understand,” the Imperator’s voice was mechanical, distant. He stood and walked towards the door. He picked up the thrown instrument and packed it away in its case, which was then neatly tucked away.

“I’ll leave you to your thoughts.” Khendon ignored the cups of stimcaf and walked out of the room. When the door had securely slid behind him he fell to his knees and brought his stained hands to his face. He held himself for a long moment, rocking ever so gently. Kyryanu, where are you… where.

A moment passed, the Imperator composed himself. Long tears rolled down his face as he went to the console. Khendon keyed in commands and sat back in a great chair in front of the primary monitor. He held himself, even now, and gently moved from side-to-side.

In the room two small orbs floated from the ceiling, several meters above the floor. They spurted to life and began projecting images on the walls. The lighting returned to its sporadic death and rebirth, the cold began to set in, anew.

As the darkness fell the projected images became clearer: they were of Esalis’s tattered and bloodied head, a 360 holo. The music began again, Train Wrecked Flying Monkeys blasted over the powerful speaker system.

“Tighten,” said Khendon through a sob, “tighten, tighten, tighten!” The computer processed his voice request and decreased the diameter of Esalis’s cuffs appropriately.

[R. S. Esalis]

His work done, Esalis followed Sevon's departure with her ears, listening as he strode from the room. She lay unmoving then, bringing the pain he'd inflicted under control. She knew that her words had incited the rage she was now feeling the effects of, but to the Grand Inquisitor it was well worth it.

Sevon had lost his temper, showing him to be susceptable to mere words.

Another grin - this one strangely of triumph - graced her somewhat haggard features as she rolled to her back. Where Sevon had placed his knee was knotted, tendons and muscle bunched tightly from time spent crushed beneath the Imperator's kneecap. Sitting up, she once more placed her back to the wall, eyes closing as the music rained down upon her once more. She would sit through this auditory display of filth, ignoring the projected images of Sevon's handiwork.

"You have proven yourself susceptable to words, Sevon," she said to no one in particular, "And for that you are weak and easily manipulated."

[Khendon Sevon]

By the time the technician returned Khendon’s constitution had returned. A brisk, steaming shower had brought the Imperial to his senses. He felt invigorated and renewed.

“So, how is she…” the man’s words trailed off as his mouth continued moving, “What did you do!”

“What had to be done.” Khendon turned to the expert torturer and frowned, “Do you have a problem, Samuel, is it?”

“Yeah, Sam. Uh,” the technician’s eyes shot to the bloodied blade sitting on the floor a meter away, “yeaah… Imperator… right. Uh, so, we ready for it?”

“Yes, we are ready. Call the surgeons, remind them, anesthetics aren’t required.”

“Yessir!”

*************

The door to the thin room slid open and an armored officer entered, he wielded a staff expertly and approached the sole occupant of the chamber. “Don’t try to resist,” said Khendon’s voice from behind the mountain of armor.

“He won’t hurt you… that honor is reserved for me. Restrain her.”

[R. S. Esalis]

Esalis opened her eyes as the door opened once again, though her bloodshot orbs still remained passive and alarmingly tranquil. She stared at the officer covered head to toe in armor.

"Sevon, your trickery and strongarm tactics do not scare me. I do my job to the best of my abilities, as I told you on Myrkr."

She did not move as the man approached her, but her evil grin once again returned to her lips.

"It is not my fault your wife is suffering - I told you what would happen and you did not heed my warnings. And now your wife is paying the price of your disobediance. And you will continue to feel the pang long after this is over when you look your child in the eye and see nothing but disgust. Disgust in the eyes of a child for its' own father."

[Khendon Sevon]

Khendon shook his head, “Do it.” The officer prodded Esalis with the tip of his staff, which was surprisingly metallic and hard. A needle quickly slid into the woman’s arm and injected a fast working, minor toxin.

“Oh? Did that hurt? My apologies.” The Imperator frowned, “Yes, do you feel that? I’m sure you do. The cells in your muscles are losing their ability to produce mitochondria, it’s temporary, not a permanent solution to the problem of your existence.

“I’m sure you’ve heard this before,” the frown broke into a light, sad smile, “you’ll be able to feel everything while we perform the ‘operation.’”

The officer stepped over the woman and allowed Khendon to enter. He knelt next to her and gently stroked her cheek, “Do you want to say something?” He leaned towards her lips for an instant then retracted, shaking his head with a laugh, “Didn’t think so. You’ll find you can’t blink or move your eyes, I’ve heard it’s quite annoying. The toxin is very specific, thankfully, so you won’t have to worry about brain damage.

“Now, your heart should be slowing, we’ll have to prevent that,” Khendon signaled for the doctor who inserted a long device into Esalis’s arm, “and your lungs will be feeling weak,” the surgeon then retrieved a long, see-through tube and put it down the woman’s throat.

“Are you enjoying this? Doctor,” Khendon’s voice was laced with malice, “where do I make the incision?”

The surgeon smiled behind his mask and pointed to a location behind Esalis’s ear. “Supposedly your sense of pain will be hightened, an odd side-effect of the drug…” Khendon took a scalpel from the doctor and pushed it against the indicated spot.

[R. S. Esalis]

The injection startled her - this she wasn't expecting - and Esalis felt rage well up in her chest. A brief struggle was all she offered before her body fell still, the drug firing through her body. Her eyes radiated waves of hate nearly tangible in the atmosphere of the room, and she lay, unable to move as Sevon's doctor did his work. If she could have, she would've gagged as he roughly inserted the tube into her mouth and down her throat.

She felt the blade of the scalpel brush against the skin behind her ear, and mentally cried out. It was the first time since being deposited here that she showed any inward signs of fear, and the momentary look of madness in her normally cool eyes was quickly replaced with harsh determination.

Sevon would pay for this, she would make sure of it. She would have his wife raped and beaten to death - she would have his unborn child taken from her womb and given to someone who would raise it with an ingrained hatred of the Imperator. And she would make sure Sevon recieved every shred of the videofiles compiled on everything done.

Esalis felt the tip of the scalpel press into her skin as all manner of evil thoughts raced through her mind. She felt acute pain washing over her body, augmented by the drug, and her motor functions momentarily took control and she spasmed violently.

[Khendon Sevon]

The music in the room had calmed, the lighting stabilized. Khendon smiled, “I hope my hand will be steady, drill, please.”

Directly in front of Esalis’s gaze the surgeon passed the Imperator an odd looking drill, “Now, Mr. Sevon, be careful! You have to apply just the right amount of pressure. Too much and you’ll end up turning her brain into cheese.” The doctor grinned at his own joke.

Khendon frowned, “I’ll just go very, very slowly.” He grasped the device and the surgeon braced Esalis’s head. The drill did its work. The sound was horrible.

The former Vice-Diktat cleaned the spot and inserted a tube to clear away the constant trickle of blood. “Now how does this fit into this little hole?” Khendon held up a neuro-chip-spider and gazed at it. “Do you know, Esalis?” He held the creature in front of her eyes.

“The drill bit we used was too small,” the doctor frowned behind his mask, “you’ll have to force it in… her skull should adjust for the pressure… eh… I think.”

Khendon shot the man a wicked glance and put the end of the neuro-spider to the woman’s head. With his freehand and a rod he began to stuff the chip into the incision point.

[R. S. Esalis]

Her mind cried out, wretched screams of pain filled her thoughts as Sevon had his way with her; his drill making quick, grisly work of skin and bone. Her eyes, unblinking, had already begun to dry out, and her teeth ground against one another.

The pain left over was intense, heightened by the drug Sevon had had her injected with, and a single tear formed in the tear ducts of her right eye.

And when he held the small neural implant up to her eyes, the Grand Inquisitor felt the very first stages of panic sweep through her being. What devilry was this? Sevon's horrid little machines were to be implanted within her mind??!

R. S. Esalis. Remni Soriah Esalis felt something she had not felt since she was a small girl.

Rising from the pit of her very soul, she felt despair.