On a String

Chapter 7

"Adaptation is the key to survival"
(Moral from the Star Wars: the Clone Wars episode 'The Citadel')

Kai escaped from the dining room as soon as he could after eating dinner- which had been as quiet as lunch was- and made his way onto the deck. It was decided that a watch was now needed at night due to the sudden threat from The Puppeteers, and he had gladly volunteered to take the first shift.

Trying to go to sleep right now would be a pointless waste of time as his mind was just overflowing with doubt and fear and anger. Of course, the latter was only occurring as he attempted to find some way to cover up the two former emotions, but he knew he wasn't fooling himself.

So he took a deep breath of the cool night air and released the anger. It was just a pointless emotion to feel; a complete waste of energy. Those who showed anger were easy to read for weaknesses and easier to fight as they became distracted by and succumbed to their emotions. They were slaves to what they felt.

He wasn't a slave to anything. Or anyone.

Slave.

("You belong to me!")

No.

("On your knees, Fireboy!")

Never!

("I said: ON YOUR KNEES!")

Helpmehelpmehelpme.

His mind was a castle under siege; bombarded not by artillery but painandcontrol and hopedyinginwhispers and youbelongtome and...

(Searing heat slicingburningcutting into his very soul, his hands clawing at empty, uncaring air as acrid smoke lingered and twisted; gleefully weaving cruel patterns across his vision-)

Idon'tbelongtoyou Idon'tbelongtoyou Idon'tbelongtoyou!

He tried to block out the thoughts, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. He had to keep moving.

(He was choking on the smoke which danced so wickedly through the air and drowning in the pain which seemed to never end. His shoulder, his shoulder...oh agony!)

Kai stumbled across the deck, blindly reaching out for the railing.

(Their bruising hands stayed tightly on him, holding him in place and he wondered how anyone could be so inhuman and cruel as to-)

He grasped the rails; the smooth wooden barrier solid and supporting under his trembling hands.

(And then it was all over and he was theirs)

His stomach lurched and the meal he had just consumed fell over the Bounty's railing to the sand below. He felt awful. Dark shadows seemed to swim before his eyes, dancing in and out of focus as he leaned further over the side, his shoulders rolling jerkily. Even when there was nothing left in his stomach to throw up, Kai continued to dry heave; ragged breath rushing in and out of his burning throat as he struggled to get himself under control.

Helpmehelpme.

Help me!

"Kai?" a voice called out into the darkness, seeming to cut through the night like the powerful beam from a lighthouse, guiding ships home during a storm.