for ZEX

[bornsnarky]

[scowling at the communicator]

Yeah, but what the hell happened to him? You could give me a little more-

[Jim barks something curt about not having time and you'll just have to deal with it, Bones]

Oh, great. Just great. Guess I better get ready for anything from the Antares Two-step to Denobulan Mudfever.

Comments

[zexyandiknowit]

[His voice is hoarse, as though he had been shouting]

They are poisonous, and will retract when my pulse evens out. Do not touch them without gloves.

[bornsnarky]

[shoot]

[nods, finds gloves, speaks while putting them on]

Okay. You wanna tell me what the hell happened down there?

[zexyandiknowit]

...

I did not know they would be slavers.

[bornsnarky]

[winces]

Ah, hell. I hate slavers.

[starting to work on the bruise, passing a tissue regen tool across it gently]

[silent, inviting you to keep speaking]

[zexyandiknowit]

As do I.

In the moment, I decided that they did not deserve the grace of a quick stun. That is all.

[bornsnarky]

[phew]

[that... explains the injuries]

Looks like you tried to beat them up with your entire body.

[zexyandiknowit]

I succeeded.

[bornsnarky]

[exhaling]

ZEX? What happened to the slavers?

[zexyandiknowit]

[Bitterly] They are alive. The men and women they had captured are not all so lucky.

I came close, but I did not kill anyone, this day.

[bornsnarky]

[breath catches in my throat]

Assholes.

[working on your back, now, gently, mindful of the fact that you're the tensest I've ever seen you and that your heart rate doesn't seem to be going down any]

[zexyandiknowit]

[Silent, for a long moment, gathering his thoughts]

Slave ships were a common thing, when I was serving in the Armada.

[bornsnarky]

[voice rough with rage/protectiveness]

You've had some experience?

[zexyandiknowit]

Yes.

I was banned from raiding slave ships after an incident similar to this one.

[bornsnarky]

[expression hardening, empathy for you but also fear/anger for you, you don't normally lose control like this]

What pisses you off so much about slavers?

[zexyandiknowit]

...

Initially, I had honorable reasons. Now, I believe it is that they remind me of the Druuge, the slavers of my home galaxy, and the... the deals I struck with them for the betterment of the Armada.

It is most likely guilt. Guilt and rage. I have been able to quell neither.

[bornsnarky]

...oh.

Oh, fuck.

You do realise beating people up doesn't generally help with either of those?

[as close to snapping at you as I get, but it's out of concern]

[zexyandiknowit]

I do.

[bornsnarky]

[...that takes the wind out of my sails]

[quietly, cupping your cheek for an instant then going back to work] Then what the hell did you think you were doing?

[zexyandiknowit]

...

I was not thinking. I saw the bodies of innocents on the floor, their arms still locked behind them in irons, and I ceased all thought.

When thought returned, the slavers were on the floor and the other members of my party were restraining me to the best of their ability. Eventually, I let them do so.

[bornsnarky]

[freezing as I bandage your shoulder, cursing under my breath]

Hell. Okay.

Poor bastards.

[zexyandiknowit]

...It is odd, I know, for a man with military experience to be so affected by unrighteous death.

[bornsnarky]

[tersely] There's death and there's death.

If you were completely unaffected by something like that, I'd have to take you off duty.

[and I wouldn't want to know someone who was completely unaffected by something that goddamn horrible]

[zexyandiknowit]

[Sort of nods, thinking]

[bornsnarky]

To be made so powerless like that...



[not sure if I mean the slaves or you, possibly both]

[zexyandiknowit]

It is unacceptable.

[Also possibly meaning both.]