Project - Prometheus Ch. 05

Jogging back to the wall in which they were held, Priya quickly freed Inari from her shackles rather quickly. Using some scattered rocks to break the bindings, she helped her down off of the wall. Once back on her feet, Inari wrapped her arms over to Pree, who had embraced her lover, the both of them crying and kissing each other. Korsa reconnected her sword, before stepping over to wrap both women up in a hug, the three of them just having escaped a harrowing experience.

"I...... thank.... you."

Korsa's gaze wandered over to the source of the voice, which was both high and mellifluous, beautiful as crystal chimes. The speaker was the alien woman who had just been abused, her swollen cheek and busted lip did nothing to detract from her exotic beauty. She blinked at them, her lemon yellow eyes offering a hint of understanding within them.

"You can speak our language?" Korsa had asked in English.

"Yes...... I....... can. My...... way.. of speaking.. is.... hard. I... have.... no... one to.... speak... to," the alien woman continued as she stood to regard the women, who to her, were the aliens.

"Well, since you can understand us, I need to know; where exactly are we and who are you?" Inari asked the woman as she stepped forward with a clingy Priya in tow.

"My name..... is...... Luminia. You are..... at...... bottom..... of a..... fortress,....... controlled by.... Yahk'shurt clan," she responded trying to grasp the way she was speaking the words she said. "They are...... bad clan. They..... hurt..... kill..... force.... and... break... good.... people. Who.... are.... you?"

"My name is Korsa," the big woman said while tapping her chest.

"I am Inari," the middle eastern woman said, following Korsa's example.

"Priya," the XO said simply, still a little shaky from her earlier ordeal.

Looking down at the still mewling boy in disgust, Korsa grunted in agreement while saying, "Obviously. What kind of clan allows its people to do this to its women? Don't the women of this clan stand up to their men and tell them that this is wrong?"

Luminia tilted her head to try to understand the Khontaran woman, and she took a few moments longer to process the information. When she had a handle on the words spoken, she responded, "The women.. of.... the Yahk'shurt clan.... do not. They are..... property. Like us."

Luminia then gestured with her arm to indicate every other prisoner there with them in the room. Stunned and shocked at such regressed behavior and customs, Korsa lifted her blade and stomped over to the first cell. Lifting her sword, she swung with all her might, cleaving through the crystalline compound, breaking the bars that kept the remaining women there, prisoners.

Once the bars had fallen away, Korsa put up her blade and extended her hand to the women within it. Tentatively, one woman reached out with her hand, placing it in Korsa's. Gripping the hand, the red-skinned woman helped the azure skinned alien past the broken bars, out of the cell. Once out, Korsa offered her hand again, and this time was met with much more enthusiasm as the next woman waited by the bars eagerly. One at a time, she guided them all out until the cell was empty.

Other women called out, all of them eager to be free wanting to be out of the cells now. Korsa looked over to Luminia and asked her, "Can you ask them to quiet down, please? I will free all of them but I won't be able to do that if we have any more of these guy's friends," she gestured to the wounded male that Inari was guarding, "come down here and find us trying to escape."

Luminia nodded and spoke in her language to the other prisoners, who listened intently to her. Moments after she had finished, the rest of them had quieted down as they all sat back and waited, confident they would be freed soon. One by one, Korsa went to each cell in particular and opened it using her sword to pry open the doors. Everyone that stepped out of the cells was grateful and thankful to Korsa for getting them out.

"So, since we're at the bottom of the fortress, I assume that the only way out is up?" Inari wondered as she stood there with Pree, warming themselves by the warm fire pit.

"Yes, but.... Yahk'shurt are..... hard men. They have no..... mercy. They make.... others kneel and.... serve." Luminia warned worried about how they would get out of their current predicament.

"You let me worry about them," Korsa stated as she unlocked her blade, so it could break down into four separate blades. "They may be hard for you, but they've never faced an angry Khontaran."

"What is..... Khontaran?"

"My people. We are all warriors, trained from the moment we can walk, men and women. This blade," she showcased her weapon, "is what they train us with, but they do not give it to us. We earn it."

To demonstrate her point, Korsa launched into several sword forms, starting with Biting Wind, going into Falling Stars, then going into Dancing with Fire. Each form flowed into the other, like a deadly dance of blades, both beautiful and dangerous. If the prisoners were impressed by the boy's demonstration of showmanship with the Thuun'tara blade, they were positively overawed with Korsa's skills.

"You are..... a..... sword master!" Luminia squeaked as she finally comprehended the full level of Korsa's skill set.

"I will lead us out of here. Everyone, get behind me," Korsa ordered. "But first, lock him up!" Korsa pointing with one of her blades to the now sitting male who was nursing his arm. He had lost some blood, but it had finally slowed to a trickle. Though it was usually Inari giving the orders, due to the lack of a weapon, she nodded.

She had Pree stay behind her while she grabbed the male and half dragged his grumbling and protesting ass to one cell. After throwing him into it, she closed the door and used one of the crystalline bars to wedge it shut. She then ushered Luminia up front to stay by Korsa, so they could navigate their way out.

Taking a torch out of one sconce, Luminia nudged Korsa forwards, and they started on down the tunnel. As they went on, they heard the cries of what sounded like other prisoners, echoing through the air. Looking back at her alien guide, she showed that she would investigate. Seeing worry in Luminia's eyes, Korsa winked and smirked, heading onwards to the sound.

As the group of them forged ahead behind their living shield, they came to another cell like area, guarded by several males. They all looked to have some sort of leather clothing on and several hand to hand weapons tucked into the belts they wore. They started at the appearance of a naked eight-foot-tall, Khontaran woman walking into their midst, wearing a scowl that would have cowed the most courageous of warriors.

One of them, who appeared to be the warrior in charge, shouted at her and gestured at her, almost as though he was ordering her to go back to her cell. Korsa only smirked and got into a battle stance, her right arms out in front of her, while her left raised themselves into an overhead position. Not one to be intimidated, the lead warrior drew his axe and knife and charged, unhappy at Korsa's refusal to listen to him.

As he lunged for a quick kill, hoping to drive his knife into her chest, Korsa stepped into a move where her blades whirled, almost like the hands of a clock. This form was ironically called, Time's Edge, in which she drifted slowly and deliberately. She neatly took off her attackers lead hand off at the wrist, while doing a backspin to the left and lopping off his rear arm at elbow, with her upper arms, while driving her lower blades into his gut.

He looked up at the Khontaran woman, in disbelief that he had been bested in such a way, before Korsa disemboweled him. Seeing their lead warrior beaten and killed so handily was more than enough for the other four guards. When Korsa had turned her gaze on them, they all fell to their knees, yammering in what she only assumed must have been them begging for their lives.

Looking over at Luminia, she asked her, "Could you please tell these guys to shut up, before I cut their dicks off?"

"What is...'dicks'?" the sky blue skinned woman asked, confused. Using her sword, Korsa pointed to where it was on the warrior she had just killed. Realization dawned on her face and she smiled, almost laughing at what Korsa had threatened. She quickly relayed the big woman's command to them and they immediately shut their mouths. Each of them looking fearful that they'd lose their favorite part of themselves.

"Also, tell them that if they want to keep their balls too," gesturing at the fallen warrior's sack, so nothing was lost on her, "that they'll drop their weapons, open these cells and let the prisoners go."

Smiling, Luminia was all too happy to tell them of the order and threat that went with it. Almost instantly, they all hopped to their feet, discarding their weapons and opened the cells. The prisoners all took tentative steps outwards, wondering if they were free. Luminia spoke to them, telling them to pick up the axes and knives laying on the group and to come over to them.

Not needing to be told twice, the other aliens walked over and picked up the fallen weapons and headed over to where the rest of them were huddled. Unlike the group that came with Korsa and Luminia, this group was fully clothed, many of which were elders or children. As they neared, many of them got a good look at Korsa and though there was disdain for her state of dress, many of them were impressed by her size and the way in which she cowed the guards. As Korsa looked over the guards, she figured that they could use some humiliation themselves.

"Have the elders take the children into the tunnel and tell these idiots to take off their clothes. Don't want any of these women catching a cold or anything," Korsa said to the young woman.

Smirking, Luminia told the guards what to do, and they complied with no issues. Some even dared to look at Korsa lewdly once their cocks were swinging out, one of them even more impressive than the males she had battled previous. Though it had been some time for the big woman, she retained an iron will that would not easily be bent. Brandishing her swords to let them know she wasn't tempted, Korsa used her blades to direct the nude guardsmen to the cages that once held their prisoners.

Seeing they were in no position to argue, they walked into the crystalline prisons without hesitation, Luminia locking the doors behind them. Once closed, Korsa brought both Pree and Inari in, having donned the strange and somewhat smelly leather clothing.

"Ugh! Smells like an unwashed ass that doesn't wipe!" Inari protested as she took the proffered garments.

"Would you rather freeze your tits off?" Korsa asked nonchalantly.

Grumbling to herself, Inari pulled the leathers on, as did Priya, who didn't like the smell either, but she knew better than to complain. Luminia took a set for herself, the smell of it not bothering her as much as the human women. After salvaging the rest of the clothing, even from the dead warrior, Luminia approached the cell where the guards were contained and asked them pointed questions.

At first, they shook their heads, refusing to co-operate, but after a few harsh words and a couple of gestures towards Korsa, their tones softened. The Khontaran woman had done what she could to protect her modesty using the fallen warriors torn clothing. Even with the clothing torn into strips, it barely did the job. She looked like one of those fierce women barbarians in those old Earth serials she had liked to read so much, but much more feral and exotic.

Some elder males had taken notice and regarded the red-skinned lady with interest, until the women that were around delivered swift cuffs upside their heads. Korsa snickered, knowing full well the effect it had on the men and enjoyed being the center of attention for once. Moments later, Luminia finished her questioning and walked back to the rest of the group. She addressed Korsa first since she was the one taking point on this impromptu rescue.

"Most... of.. the clan has... left," she said with a slight halt to her voice, her English evidently getting better. "This... worries me."

"Why is that?" Priya wondered. "With fewer warriors here, it should make our escape easier, yeah?"

"Yes, but clan leaving is..... strange. They should.... leave more warriors. Why would most of the clan... leave?" the alien woman wondered aloud. Then, something in her head clicked, as the look on her face went from one of confusion, to horror.

"What's wrong?" Inari asked, as Luminia was agitated about something.

"My mother is.... great.. Chieftaness. Her name.... Valessa. She brought together clans.... to fight Yahk'shurt. They win.... many times. Force Yahk'shurt back. Yahk'shurt find me..... hunting. They take me and.... bring me here. Tell my mother to.... stop fighting, or they.... hurt me," Luminia explained. "Others here..... daughters, children..... elders of.... chiefs. They tell.... other chiefs to stop or they are..... hurt too."

"Sadistic bastards! Always having to resort to hostage tactics to get what they want when they're too weak to win it for themselves!" Korsa spat with all the ire she could muster.

"What means.... 'sadistic'?" Luminia asked.

"Means they like to hurt other people," Korsa explained somberly.

Nodding, Luminia understood, as her people had a word for it, which was far more descriptive in its meaning. "We must.... get to..... top level.... to find..... the way.... out," Luminia said as she gestured back to the tunnels. "Guards tell me.... other prisoners...... in other cells.... like this," she went on. "We must.... free them. I will not.... leave them."

Korsa smiled to herself, admiring the woman's fortitude and courage. She had just endured a savage beating from a male of this brutal clan, almost was raped and stood with the crew of the Darkstrider, spoiling for a fight! If they survived this, she made a mental note to see about teaching this woman in the art of the Thuun'tara.

Heading back into the tunnels, Korsa took the lead with Luminia right behind her, directing them towards other cells, where the other captives were being held. They came upon more women and children, both of them in separate areas. Left alone with no guards, though any who could fight were shackled as Inari, Priya and Korsa had been. Putting her sword to work, Korsa destroyed the crystalline compound that kept the aliens as prisoners.

Overall, there were over one hundred and fifty prisoners, over two-thirds of them, women. Most had been recently captured though some had been at the fortress longer and had seen signs of abuse from the clan. Though she couldn't tell, it seemed like none of them had fallen pregnant yet and prayed that none of them had.

Pushing the thought out of her head, Korsa regained her focus and pushed herself to stay vigilant. They weren't done yet, and they had the numbers to overwhelm any small token force that may have been left behind. Though she was afraid that many of these prisoners would wind up badly wounded with several dead, and that was the best-case scenario that ran though her head. Unless she decided to be their shield.

Taking a deep breath, Korsa steadied herself and stepped back into the point position, with both Inari and Priya flanking her as Luminia stayed close behind. Their guide led them to a vertical shaft with a spiral ramp that led upwards, with small rays of light peeking through at the top. They began their ascent, hoping to catch any remaining forces by surprise.

With her long legs, Korsa strode upwards, eating the distance that had to be covered. Inari and Pree barely kept up and Luminia was falling behind them.

"Korsa, slow down! You trying to leave everyone behind?" Inari puffed as she pumped her legs furiously to keep up with the leggy doctor. Pree was doing what she could to match her lover's pace but was having difficulty in managing it.

"Not you two, obviously. I just don't want these people to get caught in a crossfire if it can be helped. Some of them have suffered enough," the Khontaran doctor said, anger edging her voice. Inari huffed and did what she could to control her breathing while maintaining her pace.

She knew for a fact that when Korsa was in this state, there was no arguing or talking her out of what she had in mind. Inari had only seen her crew mate like this once; the night they rescued Natalya from Rat-Faced Mike. That had been the second time Korsa had saved Nats from that scumbag. When she got into a state like this, the motherly, kindly doctor faded and was replaced by a hardened warrior who would see her enemies dead, or die trying.

She'd heard the stories from Natalya about what happened with some of the kids she'd saved and seen the vids from the Andari station incident. Korsa was not someone you wanted to cross if you valued your life at all. In virtually no time, they had reached the final spiral that separated the passageway from the main level.

At this point, Korsa slowed her pace to a near stop, creeping along slowly, in hopes of catching any guards unawares. As they neared the exit point, a couple of guards stood with their backs to them, one of them speaking out loud casually and in a rowdy voice.

He had evidently been expecting the males who went down earlier to rape the new arrivals. He was in for a nasty shock as he turned, seeing the grim-faced Khontaran woman standing there before him, Thuun'tara blade set in each of her hands. All four of his eyes blinked in shock as he tried to sputter out a warning, but couldn't as his head a separated from his shoulders in a spray of bright purple blood.

Turning to see what happened to his compatriot, the other guard saw that he had been felled, his head rolling across the ground. He gasped in fear before he too, was killed in the same fashion, having no time to form a scream before he died. Korsa casually stepped over their corpses as she headed towards the collection of noise that was going on down a sunlit ice hall.

Walking at a sedate pace kept her nerves steady and rushing wouldn't have been the wisest course of action. The noise being generated by all the laughing and carousing was keeping any sound of approach from being heard. Korsa kept her blades at the ready as she stepped into the doorway, slightly darkening the room.

It was a large hall, with maybe a dozen of the clan males gathered around a communal fire pit. Various trophies and skins decorated the wall, and many small tables and chairs that appeared to be made from leather and bone, dotted the room. Few torches burned in their sconces in the walls as the light from the sun shone through many open holes in the wall brightly.

Their focus was on a small girl, who was barely out of adolescence and into womanhood, as they were poking and prodding her with their weapons. She jumped and bounced out of the males reach as much as she could, but there was only so much room she had to maneuver. She took one misstep and one of the males reached out and tore a strip of clothing off of her. They'd evidently been at this a while, as her clothes were in tatters, though barely enough to keep her from being fully nude.

Roaring in pure rage, Korsa charged in, all four blades whirling in a complex attack pattern, each one thirsty for blood. The moment she crashed into them, three of the males dropped dead, large gashes appearing in their chests or heads. Before they had fallen, Korsa placed herself between them and the girl, intending to protect her by whatever means necessary.

Those who survived the initial onslaught rallied and closed ranks, thinking to overwhelm the Khontaran woman by sheer numbers. This would cost them as they didn't see Inari, Priya and Luminia sneak around the room to come at them from behind. As they taunted Korsa and rattled their axes, both Inari and Pree rushed in, backstabbing two of them, piercing their hearts through their clothing.