Broken Part 2 Scarred Inside

~\*{ BROKEN }\*~

Part 2: “Scarred inside”

IC: Knight Bathori & Artifex Terrogate

Location: Batorine

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Pain, by Boy Harsher

https://youtu.be/XPLwPRhHw0M

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“Korg, you mind telling me what the kriff has happened?” The Catharian warrior demanded as he stood by the side of the unconscious Iktotchi Knight, the woman he loved. His voice was full of concern and also an underlying anger at what had happened to her.

She lay on her back in one of the three available beds on the long range cruiser. It had been several hours now since they had left Prakith on his ship Roar-1, the auto pilot was set on a direct course to their home on Batorine.

K-0R9 looked at his master, “when I heard a loud bang in the rear of the Nebuchadnezzar I found Darth Skyllan assaulting master Bathori” The droid said as he turned towards Terrogate. “He used an override code on me, and ordered me to stay in the cockpit. But I saw on the camera what transpired after he'd send me away.” The droid paused as if he needed a moment to find the right words. “She was being punished for something, he forced her to cut her own arm of, piece by piece. He ate the flesh in front of Master Bathori. It took 02:07:23” Terrogate was shocked he couldn’t believe that Ammit would have done anything so bad that she deserved such a brutal punishment. K-0R9 continued to speak “before he left, he etched those words in her arm" he pointed at the stained Ultrachrome arm.

Terrogate’s mind was spinning, he looked down at her blood stained skin and clothes. Her matted hair and the thin silver ring on the side of her head that outlined a hole. “How did she get this?" he asked as he noticed the small circular wound starting to ooze. “It must have happened before they arrived at the ship" the droid responded as Terrogate grabbed a sterile pad from the medkit and started to clean the wound. “It looks like something penetrated the skin and bone" he said and took a bacta soaked gauze, gently wrapping it around her head. He took a step back looking at the wounded sorceress, her breath was shallow but quick, and it was obvious she was haunted by what had transpired between her and the S’kytri Master. He bent down and kissed her cold, sweaty forehead. Half of her face was swollen and purple bruising was starting to cover the majority of her face and neck.

How could she have survived this savagery and how would she respond to his blatant refusal of her final orders to let her die alone on Prakith. Perhaps she would hate him for it. But he could live with that resentment knowing she was indeed still alive. He doubted if she would return to him as the same person again, at least not for a long time. How could anyone after such a thing. But what he did know was that as long as he drew breath that he wouldn’t give up on her.

~ { “Nooo!! Please nooo!” the Iktotchi screamed, her throat was sore from screaming. Her mind had taken her back to the back of the Nebuchadnezzar, back into the metal chair they had fabricated for her from the doors of her ship. Again she relived the torture, cutting her own arm of over and over again. She screamed and cried, she wanted to wake up from this nightmare but she couldn’t. She was conscious enough to know this was a memory, but it wasn’t lucid, she couldn’t control her dream, she couldn’t wake herself up because her body was sedated. A prisoner inside her own head.

“Please help me!! Please" she cried, but there was no one there only Skyllan eating her flesh of her bones. She satisfied their perverted needs as they fed of her pain, she could sense how much they enjoyed her. “Please, please stop..” but they all they did was look at her with a smug smile on their ashen grey face. In the background she kept hearing the voices of the Acherjon, screaming from their crystal prison, the beasts sceptre. She felt foolish for ever believing that their acceptance into their dead clan actually meant something. “You weak stupid child, you are nothing to us. Nothing to anyone” she heard them laughing while their offspring feasted on her arm. The pain was unbearable and the blood splatter covered the entire space. “I told you when your Apprenticeship began, that if you reflected bad upon me I would make you suffer.” The Sith's voice hissed at her, as they towered above her and continued “how thoroughly surprising and ultimately disappointing you have been. I regret ever taking you on as an apprentice.. you have wasted my time and that is your biggest mistake!!” Their voice thundered in her ears as the scene changed again back to the beginning. “Noo not again!” she screamed but barely a sound came from her mouth as the rain washed away the blood. Her arm was back just to be eaten again....} ~

Her eyes moved rapidly, the suffering was visible in her face as Terrogate tended to her wounds. It pained him so see her like this. His thoughts, as he tended to her, were interrupted by the familiar beeping from the cockpit’s autopilot. They approached the pre-set target location. He looked down to at her, her breathing was shallow but her chest still was able to rise and fall indicating that she was still alive, as the rest of her broken and bruised body lay otherwise still on the bunk, it was the only sign he had giving him some kind of hope. Terrogate took a small sigh of relief and touched her ultra-chrome hand. “Just hang on Ammit, we are almost home.” he said to her as he stood up and began to move towards the cockpit.

Moments later, Roar-1 stood on the landing pad. Pointing to the rear storage compartment of his ship “Korg, I need you to fill the main bath with the Bacta from the canisters that I have in the storage hold.” As much as you can so Ammit will be able to be submerged up to her chest but no more.” The warrior stood at the foot of his ship as he gave his orders to K-0R9. “At once Apprentice Terrogate” the droid replied as he moved back into the ship.  “Mistress Bathori, where is she, where is her ship?” Jovian said with clear concern and panic in his voice as he came running to meet them. “She’s aboard the ship on one of the bunks, Jovian… I need you to go and keep the children distracted no matter what until I say otherwise.” The Catharian instructed the housecarl, he could see how worried the Echani was about his Master “look just do as I say Jovian no questions ok, once I have her inside and safe I will send Nova up to relieve you and I’ll explain everything”. With that Terrogate walked back up the ramp to retrieve the broken knight and bring her into the house. As he lifted her he noticed her face twitching and tears rolling down her cheeks.

~\*~

The next 6 weeks would be long and difficult, Terrogate would bath Ammit in bacta for several hours at a time and change her dressings twice daily, the rudimentary method was slow and arduous taking much longer than a professionally set up medcenter would take to heal such wounds.

On the first night that they had arrived at their home on Batorine, the Catharian had filed the protruding collar bone back down and rounded it off. He'd sown what was left of her muscles and skin back together, tidying up the severely carved up loose flaps of skin. Terrogate did his best to repair and serialize the wound, attempting to cover the filed off collarbone with skin to stop the risk of infections and giving it a more astatically pleasing look. After that he’d undress her and brought her to the bathroom where K-0RG had already filled the bath with bacta. Washing the blood and filth off under the shower first before submerging her in the healing bacta bath. Her entire body trembled as he carefully lowered her into the bath, he mouth moved as if she was trying to say something.

~{ cold... naked on her knees, with a rope around her neck and her hands bound behind her back the young Iktotchi sat in a dark room. Bruises and dried up blood covered her body. “Leave the face, she might be worth something” they had said before they started. Ammit knew exactly what they meant, they were planning to sell her when they were done with her.

Behind her she heard the door open, she was unable to see who entered but she recognised his voice. “This is your last chance Mandulis,” it was the voice of Manu Kai, a mercenary who worked for the Hutt cartel. Ammit was send to capture him, but had walked right into a trap when she followed him to Klantooin. “Please...  let me go" she begged, the eighteen year old Iktotchi couldn’t handle another beating and the thought of being sold into slavery was terrifying to her. The lights switched on making her squint her eyes in pain. “Please.. not again" she looked up at him. Kai grabbed her chin, pulling her face up, forcing her to get on her feet. “Such a shame” he said as he let his hand move over her bruised skin. “Just tell me what the Hutt wants to know.” The Iktotchi remained silent, she didn’t know the answer and if she did she wouldn’t rat out Valmir, her loyalty meant too much to her. Kai’s eyes followed the curves of her body, he bit his lip “I don’t want to hurt you.. I’d rather have fun with you.” Their eyes met again, “I don’t know.. I told you..” she responded as she stood trembling before him. His eyes changed, irritated by her answer “don’t lie" he said and he punched her in the stomach, making her fold forward in pain. “aaargh!! I don’t know!!! I told you.” she cried out coughing when he suddenly grabbed her from behind. He tightened the rope around her neck as he pulled her closer. His other hand roamed free over her bruised beaten up body as she struggled for air.

She felt hot breath in her neck when a voice, no longer Kai’s, whispered into her ear “Drugs…yes, I can smell it in your blood. The natural chemicals produced in a state of ecstasy run thick in your veins. It’s…intoxicating.” She was still unable to move, and still choking because of the rope around her neck. She recognized the voice, it was the Nightfather “I must taste it.” In a blink of an eye he stood before her, his hand around her throat, suspending her in the air. Her hands were no longer bound and she clawed at his hand as he squeezed it tighter around her neck. With a wicket grin on his face he threw her across the room against the wall. She dropped to the floor, face down in the dust. Gasping for air she tried to crawl away from him but the Zabrak was faster and pulled her up by the hair. “Pathetic" he hissed and hit her in the face with his gauntleted fist, busting her eye socket. She fell backwards against the wall and immediately he grabbed her throat again forcefully holding her against the wall. The blood trickled down her face, he moved closer sniffing her scent and letting his tongue ran over her face, catching the fresh blood. “you were..  refreshing" he said with a bestial growl, his hand still wrapped tightly around her fragile neck. Unable to breath she looked at him “pl..ea..se... le..t.. me... go..” his grip was so tight she could barely speak. The Nightfather let go, and she dropped to the floor, coughing and gasping for air.

There was no time for her to recover, before she knew it she was grabbed by the horns and thrown across the room again. When she looked up se saw Manu Kai again, he was holding a metal bar. “You!" bang! the bar hit her the waist making her curl up. “Little!” bang!, he hit her shoulder. “Schutta!” Bang, crack!, he hit her shin and it broke.

She screamed in pain, “stop!!!! Please Stop, it hurts! Please”. “You should have" Bang, snap! The bar hit her ribs, breaking at least two of them. “Thought about that before!” Bang! Her shoulder again. “You kriffing bit me!!” he threw the metal bar aside, it landed with a loud clang against the wall. Overwhelmed by pain she rolled to her back, she closed her eyes trying to wake herself with all of her mental might.

Everything faded, it was just her and the pain. She heard whispers, softly penetrating her mind “listen close Ammit.” It was Skyllan again “If you permit yourself to fall back into the habit of doubting yourself, I will find your little boy. I will bring him here. I will take Khara from you, I will put her in his arms. I will direct my full power at them, and then I will challenge you to stop it....   I will make you loathe me.” “Ieave me alone!!” She screamed into the darkness, but again she could feel the memories gushing in like a waterfall, she could see them standing before her, smiling viciously, blood, her blood, trickling down their chin as they held her bones. She looked down and noticed the bleeding stump of her arm....}~

Kas’sparr looked at his mother, Terrogate could see the confusion. The boy was in shock, he thought an animal had attacked her. When the Catharian explained it was her former Master who punished her the boy nearly fainted. He had met the S’kytri only a few months ago, when they visited them on Prakith and couldn’t believe it was the same person who done this to his mother..

~\*~

The first week Terrogate kept Ammit sedated for large periods of time, to stop her moving and hurting herself as she was slowly brought back from the brink of death. Kas’sparr and Khara would often sit with her. Terrogate had encouraged them to talk to their mother, he knew she would be able to sense their presence and hear their words. Khara would sit next to her on the bed, playing with her toys while Kas’sparr would hold her hand, telling her about his training.

Terrogate would schedule in breaks to feed her and allow her a chance to speak. It was during those breaks that made him see how wounded she really was, mentally. He would keep the children away as it was too soon for her to face them..

The Catharian sat down next to the bed and patiently waited for her to wake up.

Although her body was starting to heal, her mind was not. She would often wake up crying and screaming in terror, her body writhing around in pain. She had lost a lot of weight and so had he. The stress and worry caused him often to forget to take care of himself, if it wasn’t for Jovian the housecarl, he would go a full day without eating or sleeping.

Her breathing changed, he prepared himself for her to wake up, prepared to protect her from herself. Her eyes opened slowly, they were red and hollow. Her entire face looked different because of weight loss and the bruising. Her eyes moved to him, once they were full of life, now they looked angry as they pierced into his soul. “You are safe now Ammit” Terrogate softly said to her, she remained silent. “What do you feel?” he asked, hoping she would say something to him. “Pain...” a single word but filled with a lot of emotions, tears started to roll down her cheeks. Terrogate wanted to wipe them away, but he knew she would lash out to him if he’d touch her “do you remember what happened?” Her eyes were locked at him, she didn’t even blink “yes...  every second of it... I relive it every time you sedate me. My body sleeps but mind never does..” her voice was soft, but there words felt as sharp as a knife. The Catharian felt guilty for sedating her, he didn’t know that her mind would remain conscious to relive the horror “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.. I didn’t want to sedate you but you kept hurting yourself.” “You should have left me on Prakith to die.” Finally she looked away and blinked.

“Can you tell me why he did this to you?” he asked, at once her eyes moved back to him. For a moment she said nothing as if she didn’t know the reason. “For my disobedience and disrespect..” she replied but Terrogate couldn’t believe it and shook his head “how... what... and who? Skyllan?.” She shook her head “I... eh... I openly showed I was displeased with the Duumvirate’s decision to.. to decline my request again... and.. I.  I left their presence without being dismissed “ she responded as she looked away in shame.  He didn’t know what to say “It’s ok.. it’s over now.” Her bloodshot eyes flinched “is it truly?... Because I have to relive it every day.... every night.. I see that demon everywhere...... it haunts me!” she hissed at him, her anger resonated from her like a powerful wave of energy, a suffocating sensation for the feline.

On that moment the door to their room opened, both the Catharian and the Iktotchi turned their head to see Khara standing in the doorway.. “mama, mama" she said with a smile as she ran to them. Terrogate shook his head, he wanted her to leave he could sense the panic inside Ammit rise “Khara, no.. please go to your room.” But the girl didn’t listen she wanted her mother.  Ammit rose up and growled, exposing her golden fangs “get away from me!!! Get it away from me!!!!” Khara’s face changed, she looked terrified and started to cry. The Iktotchi continued to scream, while Terrogate reached for the drawer where he'd kept a hypospray. “Mama!!!” Khara cried frozen to the spot, unable to understand what was going on.

Jovian came running into the room after having heard the screams, quickly picking up Khara. Ammit kicked the sheets aside, “get that thing away from me!!!” Before she could get out of bed Terrogate pressed the hypospray into her neck. “I'm sorry” he said as her eyes looked at him in terror. “You treacherous, foul beast!” she screeched and grinded her teeth.

He could see how she was fighting against the sedative, trying to stay awake but it was to strong and her eyes eventually closed. Terrogate got up and walked over to Jovian, taking Khara from his arms. “don’t cry..” he slowly cradled her. “Mama angy" she buried her face in his neck. “Your mommy is sick. She is not angry.. shhhh it will all be ok shhh"

~{everything went dark, she was trapped again, it felt like she was falling in a deep bottomless pit...  “shhhh it will all be ok shhh" she heard Terrogate's voice in the distance. “I hate you!!!!!!” she screamed in anger in to the void. But it was a lie, she loved him even now she still did. “How could you do this to me!!” the Iktotchi cried as she continued to fall, deeper and deeper...

“Shhhh, be quiet Horbè" a voice whispered into her ear. Her face was wet from crying, her clothes where dirty from falling onto the filty basement floor. Bathori recognized the place, she was back at the orphanage. Thrown into the basement by her bullies, they often did that and locked her up. No one would look for her, no one except one person, Gregar.

She stood with her back against the wall, only 8 years old. Gregar was much older than her, almost old enough to leave the orphanage. “Shhhh, no need to be afraid, it’s me” the teenager whispered as he approached her with a smile. This wasn’t the first time he came looking for her and it wouldn’t be the last time. He reached for her face and wiped the tears away, “don’t cry” he knelt down. “You’re such a pretty girl...I don’t like it when you cry.” He leaned forward and kissed her, not on the cheek like friend would but on her lips. Part of her knew that it was wrong, but the lonely Iktotchi child just wanted some love and affection..

Frozen the little girl stood against the wall “have you told anyone about me?” she shook her head “no” she softly replied, “good girl, you can’t tell anyone or they will give you a beating and they will send me away” He smiled and stood up “this is our little secret.” He moved closer, the girl closed her eyes and could feel his hands on her as he pinned her against the dusty wall.

She felt a splayed hand on her chest, pushing her against the wall but something had changed. When she opened her eyes she stared into her former Masters eyes. Their face close to hers, the memories started to overlap again. “Shhh, hold still” they whispered, it was their voice but it weren’t their words. She felt their other hand moving downwards “noo... don’t, please don’t” she begged and started to struggle. “You will enjoy it.... it’s our little secret.. but first.” In a split second world turned, she was no longer against the basement wall, but on the cold wet streets of Kaas city “I’m going to check if your brain is in fact still there.” She felt their hands grabbing her skull, overwhelmed by pain she started to scream..}~

Her mouth opened as if she wanted to scream but there was no sound, her breath was shallow and fast. Terrogate could see the Iktotchi was fighting her demons again as he held her hand. He wanted to help her, he wanted to heal her mind as he was trying to heal her body.

~\*~

The Catharian did his very best to help the woman he loved. After two weeks he would reduce the frequency of the bacta baths as her physical wounds were well on the way to healing. The scarring was still black, and the silver circle on her head was still visible in her hair line, with her hair only just starting to grow back over it.

After four weeks he stopped the baths completely but still had to sedate her often. She wasn’t the same, the trauma was still affecting her mind. Random violent outbreaks and frequent night terrors plagued them both. Waking in the night and thrashing at him with her Ultrachrome arm. Terrogate was carrying several scars on his body from these outbursts. One night in particular...

It was the middle of the night when the Catharian suddenly woke. Ammit lay next to him, restless moving, having another nightmare

~ { The rain came down on her as she hit the ground. She already knew what was coming, her former master crouched over her “I taught you better than you embarrass me, knight Bathori” they whispered viciously, she could feel the heat of their breath on her skin. “Please...” she cried softly, not wanting to go through it again. The Iktotchi closed her eyes trying to escape the memory.. she felt how they grabbed her by the horns and threw her into her shuttle. But something was different, the rain had stopped and she didn’t crash into the cold hard floor instead she landed softly.

Slowly she opened her eyes, she was no longer on Dromund Kaas, but lay facedown on a carpet. Within a split second she felt how someone grabbed her by the horns and dragged her across the room. She couldn’t see who it was, but she knew instantly. “Let go of me!!” she screamed as she clawed at the hand holding her horn “Ace told me I might have to break you in... I like it..” the deep voice of Jax Heddon laughed. The red skinned Chargrian dragged her into the bedroom and flung her onto the bed. Ammit instantly jumped away “stay back" she yelled as she tried to find a way out, but the tall Chagrian was blocking the only exit. He licked his lips and grinned “I like your spirit girl, but I will always get what I want..” he slowly started to approach her as he continued speaking “I was promised entertainment and you won’t be leaving this room until you either give it to me or I take it by force.” “noo” she growled as she moved away from him. But quickly her back touched the wall, she couldn’t go anywhere. The Iktotchi attempted to push him aside with Telekinesis, to create an opening for her to escape, but Heddon barley moved. Instead he used his far more powerful telekinesis he pinned her against the wall as he stepped closer with a smile. “Well that’s a pleasant surprise” he placed his both hands next to her face against the wall as he leaned in and took in her scent. “I can taste your fear girl, it’s arousing” he chuckled and pressed himself against her. She felt his arousal “please stop..” she asked as she tried her best to break free, but the Chargrian was strong in the force. She could feel his breath brushing over her ear as he whispered “only if you yield and do as I please” his tongue ran over her cheek. She was terrified, even though she knew it was just a memory of what had happened only a few years before she had joined the academy. Heddon wasactually the reason she joined, as he later found out he was Sith Warrior. With his right hand he grabbed her by the jaw, forcing her to open her mouth and kissed her.

The scene shifted when she blinked, She was suddenly overcome by pain, when she looked down she saw her arm was missing and there was blood everywhere. The Chargrian Sith smacked her in the face and grabbed her by the horns, throwing her on to the bed, “I gave you a chance child!” He growled as he used telekinesis to hold her down. The Iktotchi screamed, trying to break free, but her abilities where to weak, no match for the warrior. “Please nooo!!! Please stop!!! Please!!!!!!!” in the corner of the room she saw a shadow, a tall winged figure, Skyllan. “Help me!!!” she cried out to the ashen grey demon watching how the Chargrian removed his belt, she could hear them laughing as the memories of her past traumas started to overlap. “Do you know how irritating it is to see someone I know to be smart, act so kriffing dumb!” they grinded out at her, kneeling down next to her while Heddon was ripping her clothes off. “Please make it stop!!! Please...” she begged, trying to wake herself up..

Suddenly, somewhere in the distance she could hear voices, her son “I can’t sleep... I keep having nightmares..” he said, it was mere whisper into her ears. But when turned her head to the other side of the bed she saw the Nightfather, holding her son “The path to strength, Bathori, to rising One Level Higher, often requires sacrifice.” He grinned at her, “nooo noo... no" she screamed struggling to break free from Heddon's weight, already knowing what would happen. “It requires proof of dedication. You must be willing to sacrifice all in its pursuit. You wish to see all?” Simultaneously as the Nightfather spoke Skyllan whisperd in her ear “the next time you kriff up my little Apprentice, it won’t be your arm I’ll eat. I’ll come for you children as well. I’ll make you watch them suffer and scream as I consume them, and then I’ll kill you.” Xarxes continued “I shall tear away what you love the most, and you will feed on that suffering” and with a single stroke and a deep laugh, his sword slid through Kas’Sparr's l neck. Bathori cried out in terror as she watched her son's head dropping to the floor, his blood splattered towards her. Both the Zabrak and the S’kytri laughed at her as Heddon force himself on to her... the pain was overwhelming, she screamed begging for help..}~

“Help me!!” she screamed as her eyes flung open and she jumped out of bed. “Please do something.. get away from me!!” She screamed into the darkened bedroom. Slowly Terrogate got up “Ammit... I am here... you are safe..” he said softly as he got out of bed. Her eyes locked on him, they shimmered in the faint moonlight that seeped through the curtains into the room. She growled, revealing her golden fangs as she slowly backed away from him. “Ammit it’s me, Terrogate.... come back to bed.” With his hands in the air he approached her “you’re safe. It was just a dream..” immediately he regretted his choice of words.. “Just a dream?!!!” She screamed in anger as she leaped forward pushing him on the floor. “They are not dreams.. you feeble minded cat” she snarled as she sat on top of him, her golden claw in the air ready to strike him in the face.

But before she could he grabbed her wrist. “Let go of me!. This is all your fault!” Unable to pull herself free she bit the Catharian in his arm. Her sharp teeth sank deep into his skin as her cyber jaw clamped down. The sting made him lose his grip, but when she pulled her teeth out of his arm he quickly grabbed her waist and rolled over. Pinning her against the floor with his full weight. Her anger made her strong in the force, but physically she was no match for him, yet Terrogate did not want to hurt her. “Coward!!” she screamed as she struggled “get off me... get the kriff of me! You disgusting beast. Don’t touch me!!” “Calm down Ammit... you are hurting yourself.” He said as he looked down on her. Her face changed, the anger turned into panic, she screamed even louder.

Luckily the commotion also woke Nova who came rushing into the room. Terrogate looked up, “Nova grab the hypospray from the nightstand" he ordered the security officer. Quickly she retrieved the hypospray from the drawer “do it" he ordered her as he kept Ammit still. “No!!!” She screamed at them as Nova pushed the hypospray in her neck.

Terrogate let go of her as he could feel her drift off. With her last energy before falling asleep she lashed out, slashing her golden razor sharp nails into his chest “traitor...” Ammit whispered before she was gone.

After having put Ammit back to bed, Nova helped Terrogate to stitch up his chest and arm. Inside he was starting to panic. The woman he loved seemed lost to him, the scars she bore on her body were nothing compared to the ones she bore in her mind. And he was growing more concerned as each day passed, if she would ever return to him.

~\*~

Artwork: “Agony" by Miles Johnston

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