Telih Fal Cardassian Territory Mid 2375 * Day One of Captivity * Impact of flesh hitting flesh echoed repeatedly throughout the darkened chamber as the heavily muscled Jem’Hadar soldier beat one of the Dominion’s more recent prisoners. Strapped to a chair was a giant of a Hi’ought Nausicaan with quite a few scars which indicated a life filled with violence and danger. “Enough,” a rotund male Vorta ordered. He stepped into the circle of light aimed at the Nausicaan, “They can keep this up forever, what about you?” he peered into the Nausicaan’s eyes and noted the defiance present, “still defiant I see.” “I will die before I tell you anything,” Kyhryk snarled as he head butted the Vorta and with a sickening crunch broke the Vorta’s nose, “and before I leave I will kill you.” “Continue,” the Vorta choked out as he attempted to stop the bleeding and ignore the pain. Without a word the Jem’Hadar stepped up and continued to hit Kyhryk as the Vorta scurried off to tend to his nose. **** Telih Fal Cardassian Territory Mid 2375 * Day Two: Morning * “Why do you resist Nausicaan,” the Jem’Hadar Eighth’s voice is filled curiosity as he stood outside Kyhryk’s cell. “Why do you fight?” Kyhryk gritted his teeth against the pain from beating inflicted on him yesterday and confronted the Jem’Hadar. “It is what I was bred for.” “I was bred to be stubborn, to kill, and I will kill you and all the Jem’Hadar who…,” he threatened before the shield separating him and the Jem’Hadar collapsed as the power went out. Kyhryk sprung into action and knife handed the Jem’Hadar across the throat and crushed his larynx killing him. A quick search of the body revealed a plasma pistol and a large knife which he claimed before he slipped down the darkened corridor in what he hoped was the direction of a hangar bay. Quietly he peered around a corner and found it empty. Quickly he loped down the corridor and ran into a Jem’Hadar as it deshrouded in front of him. Kyhryk’s superior mass slammed into the Jem’Hadar with considerable force and knocked him back into the wall and momentarily stunned him. Before he could recover Kyhryk buried the knife to the hilt in the warrior’s chest where his heart should be, covered his mouth to prevent him from alerting his fellow Jem’Hadar and blocked a wild swing with his plasma rifle. The two warriors stared into each other’s eyes as the Jem’Hadar’s legs buckled and together they slid down the wall to their knees before the Jem’Hadar succumbed. Now armed with a rifle Kyhryk sprinted down the corridor but a massive weight slammed into his chest and flipped him end over end. He smashed into the floor hard and lost everything but the knifetucked in his belt. The lights came back on as two Jem’Hadar deshrouded in front of him. “Did you really think it was going to be that easy,” the Vorta from before sneered as he walked up on Kyhryk accompanied by six Jem’Hadar. Another six Jem’Hadar appeared from behind and cut off his escape route. “No,” Kyhryk pushed himself to his feet knowing if they wanted him dead he would be he tucked his right hand into his belt by the knife he retrieved. “But I knew it would allow me get a hold of some weapons,” he hurled the knife at the Vorta, “And kill you,” he grinned through bloody teeth as rifle butts smashed into his torso and drove him to the floor. “Secure him and take him back to his cell,” the First a giant of a Jem’Hadar ordered. Two Jem’Hadar latched magnetic cuffs around his wrists and dragged him away. “I told you I’d kill you,” he laughed as he watched the Vorta die on the floor. Blood pooled around the body. “Quiet him,” the First commanded. A rifle smashed into Kyhryk’s face but it only made him laugh harder. A second knocked him out as the Jem’Hadar continued to drag him away. “The Vorta?” the third questioned. “Dispose of him,” he ordered as he realized he must contact the Founders and inform them they needed a new Vorta. **** Telih Fal Cardassian Territory Mid 2375 * Day Two: Evening * Outside Kyhryk’s cell stood First Mykal’lazar. “Do you really think you will escape,” Mykal’lazar asked his voice quite deep, as deep as Kyhryk’s baritone, “There are two hundred Jem’Hadar and even more Cardassians here and one of you.” Kyhryk stepped up to the force field and stared First Mykal’lazar in the eye. Mykal’lazar was a giant of a Jem’Hadar as tall as Kyhryk who stood half a head above the average Jem’Hadar warrior, “I have fought your kind on a dozen worlds and faced similar odds before. I am still alive, they are not.” “Obviously,” Mykal’lazar deadpanned, “that is why we left you alive instead of killing you as I wished.” “You’re the one that caught me?” Kyhryk challenged after his curiosity was piqued by the comment. “Yes, my squad and I hunted you down. You were most challenging.” “I’ll take that as a compliment. Now why are you talking to me, Jem’Hadar are not known for being talkers?” “Knowledge about an enemy must be acquired one way or another.” “The cost of said knowledge is often expensive.” “You will one be the one to pay the cost,” before Kyhryk could ask what was the cost the Jem’Hadar departed. **** Deep Space Nine Bajoran System Late 2375 * Two Days after Kyhryk’s Captured * “We know where he is but it’s not good sir,” Nikara reported with a saddened look on her face as she stared at Itozo who was slumped in his seat. Since word had been received about Kyhryk he had not been himself. “He’s being held at the Cardassian’s version of Rura Penthe…Telih Fal,” Ruras let that sink in. An Angosian Ruras was selected when he was younger to fight in the Tarsian Wars and because of the selection was genetically modified and turned into a super soldier. He amongst others offered their services to the Federation in the hopes that the Federation would as payment speed up their efforts in finding a cure for the modifications done to them. “Oh know,” Itozo slumped even further into his seat. The second worst hell-hole in the known galaxy prisoners at Telih Fal was routinely tortured physically and psychologically. After Cardassia joined the Dominion it became worse than Rura Penthe in many ways. “We do have an idea though. It would require us to contact the Cardassian Resistance to work,” Lt. Commander Larissa Nahallin the commander of Special Mission Team Fifteen joined the conversation. A tall athletic human woman she looked like a model, not the leader of an elite Special Forces unit. “Let’s hear it,” a glimmer of hope showed itself in Itozo’s voice. **** Telih Fal Cardassian Territory Mid 2375 * Day Eight: Morning * “Wake up,” the Third ordered after he and two more Jem’Hadar arrived outside Kyhryk’s cell for the seventh time in as many days. Every day it was the same, Kyhryk would be taken out into a courtyard where he would be forced to fight against the Jem’Hadar. “Again,” Kyhryk growled as he stood in the middle of the cell. So far he had been victorious against the Jem’Hadar, seven meant their end against him in the arena and even more would fall before he gave up. “Come with us,” the force field blocking the entrance deactivated. “I do this because it lets me kill you,” he glared at the Jem’Hadar as he stepped out into the corridor. “I know,” Third replied stoically, “Today you will die though, you face me.” “Tired of watching me kill your minions,” he joked as they entered a turbolift. “They died in battle as they should.” “Just like you three,” he joked before he slammed his elbow into the Jem’Hadar to his left’s temple and followed up with a chop to the throat which crushed his larynx. With his forearm Kyhryk blocked a wildly swung rifle by the Jem’Hadar on his right as he kneed the Third in the spine with enough force that it lifted him off his feet and slammed him into the turbolift doors. As he grasped the rifle Kyhryk shoved it aside while he hammered home short but brutally powerful punches into the Jem’Hadars midsection and took several in return before he shoved the Jem’Hadar into the Third who had attempted to turn around. Kyhryk grasped the Jem’Hadar by the chin and back of the head then he wrenched it with a flex of his powerful forearms and eliminated the second of three opponents. The turbolift chimed as it reached the intended destination. The doors opened and between the combined mass of Kyhryk and the dead Jem’Hadar the Third was driven to the floor. From the dead Jem’Hadar’s belt Kyhryk hurriedly snatched up a knife and buried the knife to the hilt in the Third’s eye socket. “That took some effort,” he grimaced as he rolled off the bodies and realized the second Jem’Hadar managed to rebreak the ribs a different Jem’Hadar broke the day before in the arena. With some effort he shunted the pain aside and focused on his escape; mainly acquiring weapons and finding a ship out of here. * “Vorta, he escaped again,” Mykal’lazar reported while he monitored Kyhryk as he killed his three guards and stole weapons. Mykal’lazar felt nothing but contempt for the fallen Jem’Hadar, they allowed themselves to be ambushed and in doing so proved themselves to be weak. Their quick deaths at Kyhryk’s hands were more than they deserved. “I figured as much,” the new Vorta commented smugly as turned to face Mykal’lazar. The exact image of the previous Vorta he too shared his line’s passion for mind games and he allowed them to be continued with Kyhryk as the participant. “Orders?” Mykal’lazar requested as he loomed patiently over the Vorta. “Stick to the plan, let him get close but cut him off before he reaches the goal,” he smiled as he watched Kyhryk through the security cameras. “I still want him alive though.” “Understood.” * Upon retrieval of weapons; two plasma rifles and several knives Kyhryk pulled the bodies into the turbolift, “Hangar bay,” he requested. “Too easy,” it nagged at him, “this is too easy.” It hit him that this was another game but it is his best chance of escape and he is going to take advantage of it. He has weapons and if he can get to the hangar bay then he can commandeer a ship and make his escape. The doors zipped open and revealed a long desolate corridor lined with doorways. He muttered a curse in Nausicaan, “perfect for ambushes.” Rifle at his shoulder he leap frogged from doorway to doorway but doesn’t get far before a squad of Cardassians stepped into the corridor. “Halt and surr…” One started to say something but is cut off by a plasma bolt that burned through his throat as Kyhryk opened fire with a plasma rifle in each hand and filled the corridor with plasma. “Come and get it,” Kyhryk bellowed as he walked down the corridor ignoring the plasma blasts as they flew past him or impacted the walls. He took a gamble that they still want him alive and decided to thin the herd some as he executed the Cardassians with extreme displeasure. “Enough,” Mykal’lazar bellowed as he and his unit deshrouded with Kyhryk in the middle of their circle, “What took you so long?” Kyhryk queried with an amused tone to his voice as he calculated the odds of him taking on twelve highly skilled and dangerous warriors in such close quarters. Slim to none he realized and it would deprive him of much amusement later on. “You have figured it out?” Mykal’lazar questioned. “That you’re playing a game, yes,” he dropped his weapons. “Arena now?” “No. The Vorta wishes to speak with you after you are healed.” * “You figured it out now haven’t you,” the Vorta gloated as he circled Kyhryk,”It took you long enough.” “How many of your line are left?” Kyhryk refused to give the Vorta satisfaction of him answering the question and instead asked his own. “You want to know how many you have kill before you end my line don’t you,” he peered up at Kyhryk and paid for it in a similar way to his predecessor. Kyhryk slammed a knee into the Vorta’s groin that slammed him into a console before he dropped to the ground in pain. “Hurts don’t it and yes to both questions,” In response to Kyhryk’s actions Mykal’lazar’s second slammed his rifle butt into Kyhryk’s kidney and knocked him to a knee, “I will kill you just like your predecessor and keep doing it until you kill me or I kill all of you.” “Take him back to his cell, the Vorta can talk to him later,” Mykal’lazar commanded. **** Telih Fal Cardassian Territory Mid 2375 * Day Nine: Midnight * The lights flickered several times before going out completely as did the forcefield blocking the cell entrance,”Not another game,” Kyhryk groaned. Even his endurance and patience is being taxed to the limit by these constant games. “Kyhryk,” An armed Cardassian appeared in the doorway,”Nikara sent me.” “Prove it,” he advanced on the Cardassian unsure if this was a trick or for real. “Nikara, green Orion woman 1.7 meters tall, very well endowed.” “More.” “Black hair halfway down her back, threatened to use me for target practice if I didn’t bring you back.” Kyhryk nodded in confirmation, “That’s her.” “I need you to come with if me now and move fast. I implemented a lockdown but left certain corridors open to give us a straight shot to the transporter room. From there it’s a quick trip to my ship and then were out of here,” he handed Kyhryk his personal weapons; Nausicaan and Klingon Disruptor pistols and several large knives. Kyhryk slung the familiar weight of his gunbelt around his waist and strapped down the holsters and knife sheaths, “Then let’s move.” Guns in hand the two take off at a run. “Jem’Hadar,” Kyhryk snapped off two quick shots the punched clean through two Jem’Hadar as his companion kills the third, “I thought you said you locked this place down when you cut the power?” “So did I,” he exclaimed as he shot down another Jem’Hadar that deshrouded with kar’takin raised. More appeared but Kyhryk fueled by rage tore into them shooting and stabbing and killed them all without being injured. “Transporter room is down that hallway, follow me,” Kyhryk’s rescuer fired off one last shot before he took off sprinting for the transporter room. * As he stepped into the transporter room Kyhryk vaporized the Cardassian on duty. “Cover me while I set the transporter,” his rescuer requested as his fingers danced over the transporter console. “Do it fast,” Kyhryk fired off as he dropped to a knee on the transporter pad weapons aimed at the open door. It took but a few seconds, “Done,” as he leapt for the transporter pad a plasma burst lanced into the room and nailed the Cardassian in the back. Mykal’lazar appeared in the doorway,”We’ll finish this later Kyhryk,” he bellowed as the two disappeared in a swirl of red light. “Yes we will,” Kyhryk muttered as he materialized aboard a Cardassian ship. “Bridge, we have them,” the Cardassian behind the ship’s transporter console reported,”And we need medics.” Breaking orbit the Hideki-class pursuit ship jumped to warp and fled the system free of pursuit due to mysterious power losses aboard the other ships present. **** Deep Space Nine Bajoran System Mid 2375 * Two Days after Rescue: Evening * “I’m glad your back,” Nikara cuddled up against him as she wrapped a leg around his and closed her eyes. “Me too,” Kyhryk kissed her on the forehead before his body succumbed to exhaustion and light snoring filled his quarters aboard Deep Space Nine.
Hmmm...The Jem'Hadar were quite sloppy, not even mentioning both Vorta that were stupid enough to let Khyryk get them. And that Cardassian in the end? Where did he come from? Who was he? Why did he help (I know he says why but I wasn't convinced)? Power shortages all the time? Khyryk has to have a lot of luck, since almost everything conveniently breaks and every enemy becomes an idiot when he needs it
I wouldn't presume to speak for K, but he/she did establish contacting the Cardassian underground for support to rescue Kyhrk. So that's where the Cardassian guard came from at the end, is what I gathered. Though I do understand your concerns about the Vorta and Jem'Hadar. I chalked it up to being part of the experiment. It makes me wonder if K will follow up on this story in later stories. Do the Dominion have a plan for the Nausicaans, or Kyhrk in particular?
Jem'Hadar letting Khyryk ecape to toy with him would explain their "sloppiness". But the Vorta...even clones shouldn't be so reckless to risk their lives Unless they follow Weyoun 7's example and his "fruitful conversation" with Worf As for the Cardassian--if there is a background story then it should be included within this one, as in a standalone piece. A brief explanation would suffice and IMHO it would improve the story. Right now there seems to be something missing and unclear.
Darkush and Gul Re'jal thank you for reading and thank your for the reviews and criticisms which are helpful. Things that make sense to me dont always make sense to my readers any thoughts on fixing that are welcome. This was supposed to simply be a story for the challenge but I like what i started here so there will be more along this story arc. The Vorta and Mykal'lazar will show up again and all the little things i didnt explain here should be explained eventually.
I liked this. It was a very contained tale with the simple premise of surviving and breaking out of his prison. Some brutal escape attempts amid the mind games but all very engaging and zipped along at breakneck speed. Kudos.