Mind Trap

By Mr. David R. Dorrycott

A Republic of Earth Story

Yarrow walked slightly behind Lady Korien while they moved deeper into the House's rapidly expanding labyrinth. They were going to release a prisoner she knew. Adalgisa had made a comment earlier that morning that 'Humans did not often survive crucifiction longer than three days.' Within the hour Lady Korien had given several cryptic orders.

Entering an almost empty room Yarrow was shocked at the woman's condition who faced her. She hung limply from the two metal pins holding her up against the wall, her hair hanging down over her face. She looked nothing like to vibrant healthy woman Yarrow had observed just sixty hours before. Her naked chest barely moved as she fought for breath. A nurse stood by, along with a stretcher and two Imperial Marines fighting to maintain their detachment. Lady Korien walked to the woman, looking up into her eyes as she slapped the prisoners stomach sharply.

Large dark almond eyes fluttered open slowly. Her breathing increased ever so slightly. "My death?" she asked in a voice Yarrow had difficulty hearing.

"No. Life." Korien answered. "Korien does not have the right to kill property of Adalgisa. You will return to Adalgisa now. Korien considers this a warning. Next time Adalgisa’s property insults Lady Korien. Adalgisa Property punishment will be worse. You will not die, for Lady Korien is too good to let prisoner die." That implied threat caused the exhausted woman to slump again. Fear was sometimes a greater deterrent than anything. Apparently Lady Korien had found the aliens breaking point and used it against her. How Yarrow couldn't understand. She didn't want to know. Though something of the reptiles methods occasionally trickled through during their conversations.

"Cut her free" Lady Korien ordered. "Return her to Adalgisa." Both women watched as the marines, using laser blades, cut the heads off both steel spikes running through the broken woman's wrists. Then gently pulled her free of her torture before laying her down on the waiting stretcher. Immediately the waiting nurse checked vital signs, looking up from the floor after a few minutes. Her voice couldn't quite hide her disgust at the Hulcoah’s treatment of a human being. Humans were their allies after all. "Better than she should be. She's strong, most would be near death by now."

Lady Korien smiled that emotionless smile of all Hulcoah’s. "Korien now thanks this nurse for useful data. Next time Lady Korien will leave her four days."

For an instant Yarrow thought the woman in blue was about to do something stupid, instead she looked up to the marines. "Medical. As gently as you can manage." As she stood to take her leave she gave Lady Korien one last look before the door slid shut between them, as if trying to understand why.

"I don't quite understand" Yarrow admitted to her Hulcoah owner now that they were alone.

"Understand what Tannet?" the Hulcoah Noble asked seriously.

"Why? I mean I know it was punishment. But for what?"

The Hulcoah sighed. "Tannet should ask Adalgisa. Maybe Human Adalgisa say why. Maybe she will not." She started to leave but Yarrow's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "How. A star marine. Sure humans are hundreds of thousands of light years from home. But still how did you gain her undying loyalty. Loyalty against the very people she trained, swore to protect?"

Lady Korien reached up, touching the hand on her shoulder in a way that made Yarrow step back. She was under no illusions as to how far her temporary 'owner' would go. That bath had proved to her that there were really no limits with this one. "Does little Tannet really want to know?" she asked, her reptilian eyes flickering closed in that odd, sideways manner.

Yarrow swallowed. Questions phrased like that often were backed by more than one expected. A brief flash of thought of her husband who was hundreds of light years away, was returned almost instantly with the answer. WoChar needed to know. Needed to know how to defend against the Hulcoah. A small empire now, yet within days of stumbling across them the lost colony ship had been overwhelmed. WoChar needed to know how dangerous the PolPaq race really was, what their secrets were. Ladt Korien had been a slave to the PolPaq, was now their enemy. How, why had this occurred. She had to find out, it was her job. Then to steal a ship and get home with that information. At least the Hulcoah had no idea yet where WoChar was, for someone had manage to destroy that data before they were overpowered.

"I have too... Yes..." She managed, swallowing carefully. "You captured the infamously known Majors heart as though she were a child. You profess kindness to all, yet to those who even slightly anger you you use horrific punishments upon. Why? How?"

Lady Korien walked over to a shipping crate, using her powerful legs to hop up to a sitting position. Turning around to face Yarrow she waved at another crate across from her. "Lady Korien tell. Korien though must warn Tannet. Tannet Yarrow maybe not like what she learns. About Korien. About herself. You are certain still want know? Know how Meth break all?"

"There is nothing about myself I am afraid of. You've already done your worst to me. Even that” she indicated the blood stained wall, “Would be less than what you have already done."

Korien smiled, a hunters smile. "Korien has not done worst yet" she warned. "Now. Korien WILL do worst. Korien will turn Tannet Yarrow into playtoy. Into pleasure companion. So think Yarrow maybe should wait. Think. Then maybe she will forget question."

Yarrow hesitated. A warning. A fair and honest warning. Yet WoChar waited and she already knew where her heart lay. Nothing could change her heart from her husband. She could have slipped away to her husband, back to home years ago but they needed her here. Needed information. Giving her own smile in return, the hungry smile of an equal, Yarrow let her hand flutter between them. "Equals?" she asked.

"No" the reptilian woman admitted. "Tannet like to play the slave. Maybe Lady Korien need buy Tannet after this. Make her always playtoy. Think hard little alien. Does Tannet want to take that chance?"

Yarrow blinked in surprise, the Hulcoah was learning how to choose her words well. She obviously suspected Tannet, but could she know that in her claws she held a Dark agent? No, for if she was certain it would have been Tannet nailed to that wall. Lady Korien was intelligent all right, and deadly dangerous. A fleeting thought went to her husband, to her soul. To her world. "I'll chance that" she answered softly.

Lady Korien sighed again, leaning back. "Tannet right. Korien food for Great Ones when need. Lady Korien did fail to find Earth base. Then Lady Korien will be garl food. Nothing more. Maybe this a bad fate, is way Hulcoah are. Lady Korien did fall love with human female Adalgisa. Powerful woman, is kind Lady Korien trained to want from egg.“ She giggled in that hissing way all Meth had.

She shifted, taking a breath. "Humans still need Adalgisa, even if believe she is turncoat. She is not. Lady Korien now needs Adalgisa to find Earth base. Stay away from food table. Make sense Adalgisa marry Korien. Adalgisa and Korien now make good team. Adalgisa Logic. Korien blood. Equal. Yarrow have little offer such, so Yarrow not part of team. Maybe.”

"Then it's not just you" Yarrow gasped. "It's Adalgisa too. She turned against her people. How could I have missed that?"

"Tannet not meant know. No one meant know." Korien spread her vestigial wings as if to relax, causing the rooms air to billow towards Yarrow. Unknown to Yarrow the Hulcoah had begun releasing her natural biological attack. "Adalgisa long has hungered for mate. But not take human mate, none strong enough.” She abruptly hopped off the crate, walking towards Yarrow . “Lady Korien decide no time left. Korien plans need Adalgisa. Need human technology. Human minds. Human allies. Korien know how to cheat. How to play against rules but until human ship arrive have no play opening. Korien use human pawn, open new play."  

She had reached Yarrow now and the woman was breathing through her mouth, her face flushed. She could feel Korien near her but it didn't seem important somehow. "Lady Korien not believe luck when Adalgisa choose her. Adalgisa accept plan. Make little changes. Play in effect now. Cannot cease game else lose. What Korien know Adalgisa know. Have to know. What Adalgisa know Korien know. No secrets between. No lie. Game in play. Planets at stake. Freedom as prize. You small fool Tannet Yarrow. For Lady Korien not loyal Hulcoah Nobel. Lady Korien loyal to humans."

She reached up taking Yarrow's unresisting hands in hers, guiding the woman off her perch. Releasing Yarrow's left hand Korien touched her cloaks collar, then Yarrow's collar. Their clothing fell to the floor and Korien studied the soft furred woman again. Reaching up she laid her scaled hand softly over Yarrow's cooler, softer skin, the woman gasping in pleasure at the Hulcoah's hot touch. A touch she'd refused just the night before. Guiding Yarrow to her knees Korien stared down into the glazed eyes, knowing through her long experience that Yarrow was trying her best to fight the feelings, battling against a force she couldn't hope to defeat and losing quickly. "It only minute before phermones build enough shatter any training" she whispered to the desperate woman. "Same Adalgisa. Adalgisa accident. Korien though did plan this. Lady Korien need human. Even through human. Korien cheat" the Hulcoah whispered as her lips met Yarrows, crushing both women's delicate flesh together as Yarrows defenses collapsed.

"No" a strong voice commanded from behind Korien. Slowly breaking the kiss Korien turned. Locking eyes with Adalgisa. Studying the human marine standing alone in the doorway. "You will not do this. Not to her" Adalgisa ordered.

Lady Korien pulled Yarrow's body against her own, folding her wings around the naked woman as she studied Adalgisa. "Adalgisa cannot refuse Korien this one. Adalgisa make Korien blood burn as starsoul burns. Adalgisa there. Adalgisa beautiful. Mind. Body. Honor. Adalgisa all Korien universe, make Lady Korien turn against all Hulcoah. Korien need this one for game." She took a deep breath, fighting for the right words. "Adalgisa die. Korien die. All fall. Earthbase fall. Adalgisa no refuse this. Adalgisa does not have RIGHT refuse this. Lady Korien has deep need now. Is season. Is time." She looked again at the bemused creature in her arms, feeling her resistance vanish completely under that massive biological attack. "Tannet expendable pawn. Korien expendable queen. Only Adalgisa not expendable. For Adalgisa only one able tell Earthbase what need. How protect from Hulcoah biological. Give Tannet to Korien now. Let Korien free some pain before next game move." There was a long pause before Korien said the last word. "Please?"

Through Adalgisa could feel the overwhelming ocean of emotion that had built up within Korien, could see Korien wasn't really herself she had no real choice. She needed hre furred agent. "No" she answered slowly.

Korien screamed, flinging open her wings to release the bemused human. "Take then. Take be... be..." She turned away and ran, slipping past Adalgisa before the woman could fully react.

Moving forwards Adalgisa lifted Yarrow's huddled form in her arms. "I will take you to sickbay. You will never allow yourself to be alone with Korien again. You will never be able to refuse her anything again. For this I am sorry." Tannet Yarrow, physically defeated, mentally barely clinging to control could only nod slightly in agreement. At least now she knew. In the knowing, feared for all her people. Adalgisa though knew what she would have to do. She could not afford to lose Lady Korien. Earthbase couldn’t afford such a loss. Could never survive such a loss. She would have to accept the reptile, as distasteful as the idea was. If she didn’t, then this planet would be lost. For in truth only the ex-slave Xress Meth held this force together. Held it together as Lady Korien. Widowed wife of the planets last great hero.