S2, 20 Pain and Fury (FB) (January 11, 2018)

**2 January, 2098**
The Conduit Building, Knightborn

Qoter

The Conduit Building quivered gently as wind slammed against it, hurling rain like an angry child. The grey clouds had overshadowed the slow re-building sites of Knightborn, casting a blanket of dreariness over its inhabitants. Somewhere behind the grey, dawn was breaking.

Uek Ferris, however, couldn’t care less about the clouds. Not when he was engrossed with the news filling his ears, his comlink buzzing away in his hands.

Uek: “So, there’s been a breakthrough?”

Havok: “Yes indeed! Karol’s been able to nail the equation for X-17 and the neural implant installation! Plus, the other chemical levels have been tested and confirmed! The only level we need now is the Ossillium.”

Uek: “And 287 is responding well?”

Havok: “Yes! Uek…we’re nearly there. If we get the Ossillium level right this time, and well as the other implants, then…we’ve done it!”

Uek: “Havok, you’ve got no idea how happy you’ve made me! I’ll be down for the Ossillium once I’ve cleared these documents for the Ac’ross gang. The Storm’s got an image to uphold after all.”

Havok: “No worries Uek. We’ll be ready when you are.”

The call dropped and Uek leaned back in his chair with the smile stuck on his face. After the loss of sixty-seven of the subjects two months ago, the project was finally back on track. It didn’t help that the Ossillium bin was almost depleted, but there wasn't much he could do about that. All he needed now was one last push, one last breakthrough, before his subjects and Ossillium ran out. Surely, that wouldn’t take too long.

His plan, his project, all was looking up-

Bing BING, Bing BING!

Uek grabbed his datapad and killed the quiet siren before anyone heard, but he glanced at the warning immediately. His smile faded as he read the flashing message, his mind beginning to whir.

"Audio Detector 35 has detected the following words: Eris. Uek. Storm. Ossillium.”

His hands were already moving as he pressed the emergency button under his desk, blocking any outside signals from leaving the tower. It may’ve been nothing, but if what Uek thought was happening was…well, happening, then it could spell disaster for him.

He’d dealt with moles before; heck, it was the reason he’d installed the detectors. They never got any less annoying to deal with.

Without wasting another second, he marched out of his office, ensuring both of his daggers were stowed within his tailored clothing. If there was a mole here, he wanted to be prepared.

Half a minute later, he passed the wall that housed audio detector 35, his eyes scanning the area, searching for anyone, anything, that was out of place. Admittedly, It might’ve just been some workers passing through, talking about the Archmage.

If that was the case, Uek should run into them soon enough. But if it wasn’t….

Uek would enjoy this if it wasn’t.

A flash of navy caught his eye, flapping around the corner. He scanned the corridor once more, finding no one. It was still relatively early, and the majority of the workers were yet to arrive. So, he sprinted down the hall, reaching the corner in seconds.

He stalled there, and peered around the corner, revealing the occupant that had stalked away. His eyes widened as realised who he saw.

Commander Kendall Andreasson.

His body stiffened as he took in her slightly too-rushed gait, the comlink in her hand, the frustration in her posture. She’d been trying to get a signal out, a recording perhaps. Of him basically admitting that he was the Storm, and that he had undocumented Ossillium on the premises.

Silently, he cursed his own foolishness. Rookie mistake, mentioning details like that. He hadn’t even heard the Commander listening at the door, hearing every word.

But she’d made a mistake as well…she’d decided to backstab him.

What a fatal decision.

Uek paused and braced his back against the wall, gathering himself. He grimaced and forced his mind into gear, releasing all feelings of trust or thankfulness he’d ever had for the Commander, clearing any physical or emotional connections he’d ever felt.

It was…hard, he had to admit, to fully relinquish the attraction he’d had for her. She’d been the first Imperial he’d spoken to with near equal intelligence to his own, as well as equal rank. Perhaps…yes, he had been considering something more with her… if only slightly. A future, when all this was over.

But he forced himself to let go, forced himself into the killing mindset that one had to have when confronting a traitor. The gears in his mind lumbered and rolled, smashing down any arguments or reasonings that would only hold him back.

And finally, like he’d flipped a switch in his mind, he was ready. An icy calm rose from deep within him, slotting nicely alongside the bubbling fury of the betrayal.

Silently, he removed his datapad, electronically locking the doors at the other end of the corridor. In an instant, Kendall had nowhere to go, no help to call. Trapped, like a rat in a cage.

She just didn’t know it yet.

Uek put on his best smile, straightened and turned the corner, calling out down the corridor.

Uek: “Good morning Kendall!”

To her credit, Kendall barely reacted to his shout, merely turning and giving him the professional smile she’d given him so many times over the past few months. A smile that hid her true intentions; selling him out to the Archmage. He met her gaze as he strolled closer.

Kendall: “Ah, good morning Commander. Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

Uek: “All good. How’s your morning been so far?”

Kendall: “Oh, busy enough. The Archmage’s asked me if I could return to the Spire. Apparently, there’s something she needs to discuss, something that’s unfortunately on the need to know, I’m sorry.”

Uek: “Not to worry, I know how it is. Red tape, governmental affairs, private agendas. That’s how the world works, isn’t it?”

Kendall: “Unfortunately so. I was trying to confirm the time but my comlink’s simply adamant that it doesn’t want to work today.”

Uek: “Gotta love technology. Still, we can’t live without it, can we?”

Kendall: “Indeed. Anyways, I’d better be off, see if I can find someone to get the blasted thing working again. I’ll contact you in a few hours about when I’ll be gone. Sound good?”

Uek: “Sounds splendid actually. Yeah, it’d help me plan a few things out. About what happens when you’re gone.”

Kendall frowned at the phrasing, but shrugged it off as she began stepping back down the corridor, heading to a door she couldn’t open.

Kendall: “Perfect. I’ll get right on it then.”

Uek: “On contacting the Archmage? Yeah, go ahead. You know how much her allies mean to her.”

Kendall: “Pardon?”

Uek: “The Archmage. Eris Arathorn. Such a fiery woman, but a force to be heeded nonetheless. Someone you’d want by your side, defending you, supporting you, when the sky darkens all around.”

Kendall: “Well, I suppose so…”

Uek: “Indeed. A shame then, that she can’t be by your side now. You’d probably be want-”

His words were cut off as Kendall’s fist smacked into his face, shoving him back.

He blinked at the pain, realising it was the first time he’d been hit in quite a while. He touched his jaw, wincing slightly. She hadn’t knocked out any teeth, luckily, but his lip was bleeding and his cheek would bruise up nicely later on. Quietly, he let his arm fall, as well as any lingering doubts in his mind about what he had to do.

He raised his eyes to her dashing form, running down the hallway with all she had. She knew. She knew she couldn’t win this fight, that she had to get away, get the evidence she had to Eris and completely topple Uek.

He almost laughed when she found the door locked.

Uek: “Firstly…ow! Secondly…that was a very…VERY dumb thing to do. And I don’t mean the punch…”

Kendall spun, her eyes widening as he stepped forward. His smile slipped into a smirk as she snarled at him. She really was quite pretty.

Shame she was such a fool. And a traitor.

Uek moved.

He closed the distance between them in a heartbeat and sent an elbow flying through her guard. The speed at which he struck had been so quick that her hands hadn’t had time to react.

She cried out as he smashed her nose, feeling the crunch as it broke. Instinctively, she tried to claw out his eyes, her nails swiping with a primal fury.

He merely danced to the side of her strikes, moving like a storm’s breeze.

Kendall leapt forward, trying to go back the way she’d come, trying to get around him, but he sent another elbow her way, followed by a knee to her midsection.

He heard a rib crack as she screamed, calling for help, but it would do her no good. Once the doors were locked, they were *locked*. Not even sound escaped, exactly the way Uek had designed it.

The Commander stumbled backward, raising her arms in a pretty solid stance. But her broken rib and shattered nose were holding her attention, well and truly. Uek knew from experience just how painful they were.

However, as he gently withdrew one of his daggers from its hidden sheath, he could tell he'd taken her mind off the rib.

He spun it in slow, lazy circles, letting it catch the soft hallway lights as he strolled closer.

He liked to take his time with traitors.

Kendall cried out as she ran forward, firing off punches and kicks as best as she could. She had skills, certainly, but she was outclassed here. So very outclassed.

She’d known she couldn’t win, but Uek could almost taste her surprise and fear as he ducked and wove around her attacks. They never touched him. She screamed in frustration, a roar that echoed down the hallway. He had to admit that it was impressive, so he left himself open.

She seized the chance, and swung in an uppercut so furious it could’ve cleaved mountains...

If Uek hadn’t grabbed her forearm.

Surprise flashed across her face as she tried to pull her hand from his grip. Uek gently shook his head, took in a deep breath…

…and snapped her wrist.

She howled as he let go, pulling her ruined hand close to her chest. Tears of pain carved their way through the flakes of blood on her cheeks, and her eyes held every shade of rage imaginable. But Uek looked past it all as he spun his knife again.

Uek: “Now, you’ll need to splint that soon. Don’t want it to heal wrong.”

Kendall: “GO TO HE-”

Uek: “HEY, there’s no need for that kind of language. Just because you’re being beaten senseless doesn’t mean we can’t be civil.”

With that, Uek bolted forward, his knife darting in and out like a dozen tiny snakes. Kendall barely knew what was happening until the pain came, as lines of blood began to drip from the small slashes Uek struck against her thighs, her cheeks, her neck, her arms.

She raised her hands and tried to back away, to get away, but all it did was give Uek a target. He pulled out his other dagger and tore her sleeves to shreds.

The remnants of the uniform fluttered to the floor, soaked in blood from a hundred tiny cuts.

Kendall hit the ground, wheezing, wet crimson dripping off her arms and pooling at her feet. Uek stood over her for a few moments, just watching the life drain away, bit by bit. She cursed him and screamed, but every time she tried to lunge, he’d just step away.

Each crunch of bone on tile echoed around the hall. With a grin, Uek drove a kick into her stomach again, feeling another rib shatter. She cried in pain as more blood fell around her, gasping for air.

Uek: “Commander, just so you know, I really didn’t want to do this.”

A wheeze and snarl were her only response.

Uek: “Hey, seriously. I was honestly enjoying your company…perhaps more than merely enjoying. But I do not tolerate traitors, no matter who they are. Did the Archmage not warn you that I was dangerous?”

The woman growled as she pulled herself up on her one good elbow, maneuvering into a rough sitting position. Uek raised an eyebrow at that. He’d known people twice her size who would’ve given up by now. But she hadn’t.

Good for her, he supposed.

Her voice was ragged as she spoke, spitting blood as words left her lips. However, the burning anger, mixed with desperation and fear, more than made up for it.

Kendall: “You…you won’t kill me…”

Uek: “Is that so?”

Kendall: “Not even… you’re that stupid… Eris and Jay would…would tear this place to shreds…”

Uek: “Oh, they could try. But, as I think you’ve learnt, it’s a mistake to underestimate me.”

Kendall: “I…never underesti…mated you. Besides…is this…the best you can do? I…I know children that…hit harder than…this.”

Uek chuckled at her bravado, seeing that she was stalling, hoping against hope that someone would come and save her. Perhaps she was imagining Eris Arathorn smashing through the door and turning Uek to dust with a whisper.

He let her keep imagining as he leant over and drove his knife through her thigh.

No human could’ve reproduced the scream she made then. It was so guttural, so raw, that it was closer to an animal’s shriek of pain than a person’s. Uek grinned and twisted the blade, unleashing another shriek of pain and terror from the woman.

She hit the floor again with a wet slap.

Uek didn’t let her stay there. He squatted down, cracked his knuckles, and drove a punch into her jaw. With the support of his dagger behind the closed fingers, the blow was even louder than normal. A pair of bloody teeth spun away as he pulled back, hitting the floor with a soft pinging sound.

Kendall smacked into the tile a moment later, blood trickling from her lips.

With a brief movement, Uek gracefully sat next to her, leaning against the wall with his hand on his knee. Beside him, Kendall trembled as waves of agony resounded through her. She feebly reached for him with her good arm, but it was a lost cause. Uek sighed as he wiped off his other dagger, raising his voice as he did so.

Uek: “Ah Kendall…You know, I often wonder, how on earth did we get here? It’s amazing isn’t it, looking back at your life, looking at all the decisions that led to you being where you are, right now.”

Kendall: “Shut…the…-“

Uek: “Hey, we’re being civil remember? So let’s have a civil conversation. You sided with the Archmage, sat on her council, gained her trust. Perhaps she’s a friend now, perhaps not, not like I know your private life. But you chose to be by her side, chose to spy on an assassin. Tell me Kendall, you ever heard of the Core?”

Kendall trembled again, weeping quietly as the reality of the situation hit her. The Archmage wasn’t coming. No one was.

Uek: “I wouldn’t be surprised if you hadn’t. Very few people knew of it’s existence, but we are one of the reasons the Imperium stands where it does. Assassinating key figures, protecting shipments, spying and infiltrating anything and everything. And we were very good at our job. Still, like all good things, it came crashing down not long after I took command. I was in the best position I possibly could’ve been in to take this system… and my father ruined it all.”

Uek: “So I started again. Started pretty much from scratch, and now…here we are! A city under my command…well, part of one at least. And the system loves me, for the most part. And that’s not to mention my other connections, or the project I’m working on, which you so rudely discovered."

Uek: "So, I ask you this, what made you think you had a chance to disrupt this? What made you think I’d let you? Interesting, the choices we make...and the consequences we take...hmm, sounds like a quote, don't you think?.”

A growl from his right alerted Uek as Kendall lunged again, her good arm flashing out, trying to scratch, to claw, to do anything. Uek shook his head with a smile and batted it away, followed by a lunge of his own.

His dagger flashed out, a missile of steel, and sliced through her shoulder like butter.

Kendall screamed again, but it was ragged. Her not-so-good arm fell to her side as Uek withdrew, letting the fresh blood run down her bare skin, mixing with all the rest. She’d lost a lot of the stuff; her consciousness was waning now. But still, she clung on.

Impressive.

Uek cocked his head to the side, examining her. She looked like a horror movie prop, far too wounded to still be called a person. What was left of her clothing was dripping wet, as she tried miserably to staunch the flow, a difficult thing with no working arms.

She met his eyes, the fury finally beginning to die as the pain took over. Her lips whispered something, right on the edge of his hearing.

Kendall: “You…w..won’t…win…”

A chuckle filled his belly as he walked over and reached down, picking up her comlink from where it had fallen. He glanced at the most recent number and memorised it, freeing the block he’d placed on the building's communications with a few taps on his datapad.

A few seconds later and he’d removed his own comlink and holstered one of his daggers. He placed the other on the floor.

He worked quickly, ignoring Kendall’s whimpers and snarls from his side. A minute later and he was done.

He’d set up his device to register as Kendall’s number on the Archmage’s call, so she’d accept it immediately. However, he’d blocked his own signal from being recorded or traced, as he always did when he communicated over comlink. He’d already made enough rookie mistakes for the day.

With a smile at Kendall, he punched in the Archmage’s number. It was answered quickly.

Eris: “Kendall? What’s going…”

Uek: “Good morning Eris.”

It was truly a beautiful sight to see the look of raw panic that filled Eris Arathorn’s face. The colour drained instantly as Uek smiled. The Archmage looked a lot more tired than she had the last time he’d seen her. No doubt the pressures of the Registration Act weighed heavily on her shoulders. But still, the fear that cut through the exhaustion was a sight indeed.

It didn’t last. Eris’ eyes lit up brilliantly as rage coursed through her body, a terrifying sight for many.

Uek merely smiled wider.

Eris: “Where is she?”

Uek: “Sorry, who?”

Eris: “Don’t play games with me Ferris!”

Uek: “Ahh, alright. Don’t worry Eris, she’s right here.”

Uek reached over and grabbed Kendall by the neck, hauling her body upward in a fluid motion. She was heavy, especially being essentially unconscious, but he managed. The muscles he’d built over the years weren’t for show, after all.

Uek: “See? Say hello Kendall.”

Kendall nearly sobbed with joy as she saw the Archmage. Eris’ panic returned as the Archmage saw her friend’s face, the crumpled nose, the bleeding lips, the red eyes streaked with tears, the numerous cuts from his dagger.

Eris: “K…Kendall?”

Kendall: “Eris…p..please…stop…him…”

Eris: “What…What did you do?!”

Uek: “Oh, this and that. Surprised she’s still alive, to be perfectly honest.”

Eris growled, her eyebrows furrowing deeply and her eyes burning white. The fury of the Archmage was a tangible thing. Uek could feel it, like waves that seemed to emanate from her, trying to drown him. He marveled silently at the power there.

Eris: “Ferris, you-”

Uek: “Uek, please. Ferris is just so formal-“

Eris: “LIKE I GIVE A DAMN!”

Uek: “Eris, I’d suggest calming down when you’re speaking to the man that’s *literally* got her life in his hands.”

Eris shook with rage, but backed off, turning to call to someone out of frame. Perhaps another of the Vindicators.

Eris: “Get a team down there now! We need to-“

Uek: “Ahem, Eris? Stop what you’re doing, right now.”

Eris: “And why in Deja’s name should I do tha-“

Uek smiled as he let go of Kendall and drove his dagger into her other leg. Her howl of pain, a cry that split the air itself, caused even Eris to stumble back. When she stepped closer, the fury had dimmed in her eyes, the fear growing stronger.

Uek: “The reason is so I’ve got time to pass on some information. I suggest listening intently, otherwise Kendall’s going to die. I’ve got medics here, good ones. It’s not too late for her, so long as you listen up. Understand?”

The Archmage snarled, but her gaze went to Kendall. Uek swore that tears were welling in those Collective eyes, but through the comlink it was impossible to tell. A moment passed, and Eris nodded. Uek didn’t waste another second.

The Archmage was in his grip. Now was the time to strike.

Uek: “Good. First off, neither you or any of your team will ever set foot in this building without my permission. Otherwise, I’ll kill you. Or have you killed. Depends on the mood really.”

Kendall: “Yeah…right…”

Uek: “Oh ye of little faith. Eris, let me start by saying that my building is loaded with Ossillium. The moment you barge your way in here, you’ll be going against me without your precious little language. Do you really want to risk that?”

Eris stayed silent.

Uek smiled again as he continued, standing up as Kendall tried to strike him again. She hit the floor once more, followed by a wince from the Archmage.

Uek: “Secondly, you will not intervene with my plans ever again. Not only because of the Ossillium, but because doing so would out you as an enemy of one of the more popular Commanders of the Imperium. No doubt, the Registration Act has shaken you enough as it is. Do you really want your reputation tarnished further?”

Once again, silence reigned. Eris’ face was a mess of emotions, all vying for control beneath her stony expression. However, her eyes did keep glancing at Kendall, who had slowly begun curling into the fetal position.

Uek: “And lastly, I want you to know something you may not be used to hearing…I am not afraid of you. True, I’m not an idiot either, and I’ll leave you and your agenda be; I have no interest in it, to be honest. But you need to rearrange your priorities Eris. I am a bigger threat to you than you realise. Underestimating me again WILL be your downfall.”

The Archmage’s scowl filled his screen, but her gaze once again darted to Kendall, sobbing quietly on the ground. Whether it was pain, frustration or rage that fuelled those tears, Uek couldn’t quite tell.

Uek: “Now, if I hear even a whisper of you planning to interfere with my work again, even the tiniest little rumour, you and yours will not live to see the following week. This is a promise, by the way. Likewise, I will not interfere with your plans, however bland they may be. Do we have an agreement, Eris Arathorn?”

Eris growled at him for several moments, but one more look at Kendall was all it took. The broken Commander and raised herself up again, despite the sheer number of injuries she’d taken, and had lifted her hand towards Eris.

The Archmage gulped, a single tear running down her cheek, but she spoke with the fury of a fleet of battlecruisers.

Eris: “We do, Uek Ferris. We do.

Uek: “Good.”

And with that Uek hauled Kendall to her numb, broken feet, propped her against the wall…

…and slit her throat.

The movement was so swift, so brief, that not even Eris Arathorn had been able to predict it. Kendall’s eyes flew open as she looked down, staring as her blood spirted out in a torrent of crimson.

She tried to speak, but couldn’t as scarlet spittle dripped from her mouth. Her throat opened wider, like a great red eye, and Kendall had time for once last pleading look at the figure in the comlink before she slumped to the floor.

And Commander Kendall Andreasson, of the Galactic Imperium, went still.

Eris: “NOOOOOO!!”

The Archmage’s bellow was pure rage and nothing else. The room she was standing in shook, and the sheer volume of the sound blew one of the speakers on the comlink.

Uek closed his eyes at the sheer intensity of the sound, absentmindedly wiping his dagger on his trousers. All his clothes would need cleaning after this…

Eris: “YOU!!....YOU!!...”

Uek: “I don’t tolerate traitors Eris, especially when they interfere. Thanks for the chat. Oh, and don't worry about Kendall; she died in a freak building fire. I’ll send you her ashes.”

Uek ended the call before Eris could respond, but he locked in the last thing he saw before the image faded. Eris Arathorn, Archmage of the Collective, with tears streaming down her strong cheeks, her eyes glowing wildly, her knuckles white as they gripped whatever the comlink sat on, the room she was in shaking violently.

And Uek knew, then and there, that he had won.

Eris wouldn’t stop him now, at least, not until his project was completed. But more than that, he had scared her, angered her. She wanted to kill him as slowly as possible, but she couldn’t, not without damning her people in the process. The guilt and rage would haunt her every thought.

Uek smiled as he stepped away from Kendall’s corpse, the blood leaking out of her many wounds like lazy waterfalls. He took a deep breath and exhaled calmly, letting the remaining memories of the Commander leak out as well.

A full minute went by before he replaced his daggers in their sheaths and fired up his comlink again.

Uek: “Yeah, it’s me. I’ll be needing a few cleaners to hallway 35. This one was…messier than usual.”

He ended the call, took one last glance at the corpse, and walked away, whistling softly to himself.

The locked door opened smoothly as he passed.