Unleash the Beast

Posted on Thu Jan 28th, 2021 @ 6:29am by Chief Petty Officer Remal Kajun & Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Lieutenant JG Sarah Wilson

Mission: The Jungle
Location: Jungle
Timeline: Current

"What purpose do you suppose this Game of theirs is meant to test us for?"

“ Entertainment” Sarah surmised as somewhere outside the corral a large cheer went up as a Hunter got close to one of the Liberty crew. It made her sick to her stomach that her friends and comrades were being treated in such a way as entertainment against their will. Alas there was little she could do about it other than keep the congregated crew calm and ready. She took a deep breath, focused her energy on calming thoughts and turned back to Remal.

“We need to keep control of the situation, somehow I don't think calming words are gonna cut it”

“I’m not sure you grasp my meaning. Sure this is a game to them, entertainment for them. But below the surface it feels like we are being tested. Call it a hunch, but in each of the situations so far there has been an escalation of weapons and challenges right? A knife, a cat, a gun, a soldier, each presenting our people with moral and ethical challenges.”

“I don’t know, but what if the goal of this thing is not necessarily to get the divine cup or whatever, but to do so without losing one's integrity along the way?”

Sarah mused over the prospect, rolling the idea around in her head “ Maybe, I don’t trust anything we see though - it’s all been manipulated, skewed even to portray a certain level of drama and anticipation.”

“That’s what makes it good entertainment I suppose.” Lost in thought, his mind jumping around too much, he finally found his way back to what she had said about calming words. “So if calming words can’t control this gaggle, what do you think will? A strong leader perhaps?”

“ You’re the Captain’s husband - they will listen to you.” She tried to hand over the responsibility.

He smirked, “Good try. The civies maybe, but the Starfleeters only follow the command structure and unless you see another here who fits that bill… you’re it.”

“ Was worth a try” Sarah admitted, a sinking feeling in her gut. She wasn’t ready for this but it looked like they had no option. “What should I say?”

“Best guess, be yourself. Be rational and reassuring about the situation. Let them know there is still a command structure in place and all they have to do is remain calm until the game is over.”

Sarah nodded and looked around for something to stand on. There wasn’t much but she climbed onto a long bench seat that gave her most of a head height above the general population.

“ Listen up!” She shouted, letting loose a loud whistle that would have made her father proud.

Most of the nearby populace turned their gaze in her direction. Many did not. But it was enough for her to start speaking as the noise level was slowly reduced to almost nothing. Remal watched from over her shoulder, where he could still keep an eye on the screen.

“ Listen up!” She started again, hoping to capture the remainder of the attention. “ I know that the current situation was not what we were expecting, but we have a duty to the Captain, and to ourselves to keep out of trouble and in one piece until we are either released or find a way to free ourselves” She started, casting her voice out over the masses.

He could see she had their attention now. So many of them were looking up at her, for direction, for guidance. “Keep going, you’ve got their attention now, I feel.” His voice reassuring despite the action unfolding on the screen above them.

She took a breath and continued “We are Starfleet, our job is to sit tight and take advantage of any situation that presents itself. Look around, see what they want to remain unseen, but most importantly - be ready.” She continued, her voice carrying over the crew. She did indeed have their attention “ We can do this - we need to do this - it's our job to look for an escape, then do what we can to help the others”

She had their attention, but would that be enough. He scanned the crowd that was already beginning to talk among themselves. Suddenly the screen changed with a clear look at Sarah up on her soap box. Remal reached up and tapped her, “Wrap it up, you’ve garnered more attention than we had intended.”

Meanwhile on the screen behind the crowd a scuffle could be seen, the cameras zooming in for a better view.

His emotional range was running the gamut as he watched the events unfold on the screen. Excitement, worry, fear, and finally anger. The crowd was now paying attention to the screen as he was. The noise level was rising. His anger was building. And then she was struck with the blade and he let loose.

His growl, like a great bear, resonated above the noise, above the emotion, silencing everyone in the area. He didn’t blink, he just looked towards the doors. The crowd parted as he moved swiftly, lowering his shoulder as he neared and rammed full tilt into the solid panes of wood. Sarah was somewhere in his wake.

“Remal!!” Sarah charged after him, not willing to let him be the demise of the entire crew. Yes he’d just seen his wife get stabbed for entertainment, but if he tried to bust out of there he was going to get them all killed. “REMAL KAJUN - STOP RIGHT THERE!” She shouted, hoping to reach him before the doors buckled under his barrage,

His shoulder sore, he backed up and rammed it again, and again. He could hear Sarah, but he could not stop. If they wanted a mad caged animal, they were about to have one. As he stepped back to ram the door again, a heavy metallic sound resonated from the other side. “Everyone, stand fast, they’re opening up. On my lead, we rush.” It was a mad play, one that had served him well before maybe, but that was when he knew what he was up against.

The doors creaked, groaned under their own weight, then swung inwards blocking many of the people and creating a small passage for only those near Remal. “Now!” he yelled, only to be struck down by an energy discharge from the other side of the door.

As he blacked out all that he could hear was a gruff voice taunting, “This one will be a joy to watch. And bring that one too, she’s too much of a trouble maker to leave in this mess. Round two is about to begin.”

TBC