Capítulo 4: Chapter 3
The Omega Nebula. Sarabaric. Omega.
After listening to the girls and finishing looking over the tablet, Elazar pondered the next course of action. Only he, Maya, and Sybilla were in the hall while Damia secluded herself in the spare room to recite a prayer to the Emperor.
All in all, the Inquisitor got what he expected if he summarized the information he had received and discarded the unimportant details.
As he had expected, each gang owned its own place where slaves were kept and sold. The exact location of the girls did not know, because during the transfer they were either unconscious, or put on their heads in bags, and kept in rooms similar to prisons and basements, but a few clues still found. And that's good enough.
It was very much like the Free Traders of the Imperium, where each of them had their own ship and a patent to operate. They were essentially independent cells that operated separately from the authorities except in a few cases where humanity needed any extra hands.
Elazar had even had to confront a few of them over suspicion of heresy. Free traders allow themselves to socialize and make deals with xenos if it is beneficial to the Imperium. For the most part, this was true of the Inquisition, as the technology, information, and weaponry sold to it by the traders could serve well for the good of humanity. And it was the Inquisition, in fact, that had the most power in the entire Imperium.
- Mr. Preston. - Maya turned to Elazar with a very serious face.
- Yes?" the Inquisitor looked up, wearing his usual smile.
- Is there anything we can do for you? While you spend your money, energy and time to save trillions of innocent lives, we just sit here and do nothing. Any job will be done, just say the word.
Sybilla gave her friend a strange look, but said nothing. As expected, she was still struggling with herself, and because of that there were a number of doubts in her mind about the inquisitor's goals. That being said, the girl can no longer express her disagreement either, due to the actions Elazar has performed, namely her rescue. It is too low and ungrateful. Besides, it is worth mentioning the violation of his word and the lack of other ways as such, which also presses the girl.
- Hmm... - Elazar took a thoughtful look - There is nothing for you yet. I estimate that Sister will be done in about half an hour. After that have her escort you to Mr. Marlo, she knows who he is and where he is. You'll need omni-tools and, if you can, recover your data. Also have her buy you one weapon each, as not having at least some defense tool is practically a sentence.
- And you? You're going somewhere, aren't you? - Maya asked. We can accompany you. You only have one gun on you, and...
- It's all right," Elazar said, "I can take care of myself. Besides, you'd be a liability if I took you with me. I understand your eagerness, Miss Maya, but be patient. You and Miss Sybil will have your chance to prove yourselves, but not now.
Finished speaking, the inquisitor stood up from the couch and headed for the exit, adjusting his cloak and lasgun. Maya was left a little disappointed, but she understood the truthfulness of his words. Sybilla chose to remain silent, as she had before.
- For now, do as I said and wait for Damia to finish. Have her contact me if there are any questions.
- I will. Whatever you say, Mr. Preston. - Maya said humbly, to which the inquisitor nodded approvingly and left the room.
He had a plan involving them, but his time had not yet come. In order to proceed with it, preparations would have to be finalized, which Elazar would do now.
As soon as the inquisitor left the hotel grounds, his pursuers immediately moved after him. They kept their distance and acted cautiously, or rather, tried to, but to Elazar they were as close as they could get. Sure, the Battle Sister was more battlefield savvy, but Elazar was also trained in combat. Or rather, survival due to his particular circumstances.
His pursuers were nowhere near the level at which the assassins of the Death Cult, much less the Officio Assassinorum, operate. Members of these two organizations are masters at stealth, espionage, and assassination. The victim will not notice them even when they are killed unless they want them to. Quick and stealthy killing machines capable of eliminating almost anyone. Here, however, the Inquisitor saw only frustration.
After wiggling through the level and wandering into a deserted alleyway, completely isolated from outside observation, Elazar stopped. He waited for a moment, then put his usual smile on his face.
- No more hiding, gentlemen. We will not be disturbed here.
A couple seconds later, three Batarians appeared in the alley. All of them looked confident and unafraid that he would pull something dangerous for them. Their footsteps were firm and their faces showed mocking and arrogant expressions.
- Decided to give up, human? - Asked one of them who was a step ahead of the others.
- It's more of a clarification," Elazar replied calmly, "There are only three of you? I assume the others have stayed behind to watch my companion?
The ringleader frowned weakly when he heard that they had been revealed. But he quickly regained his composure, raising his rifle but still not pointing it at the inquisitor.
- And for the goods too," the leader smiled cheekily, "You know, I like your self-confidence, so I'll give you a chance. Give me the goods and pay, say... twenty thousand credits. Then you and your girlfriend can go all the way. Also, your gun looks interesting. You can give that away, too. If you want to live, of course.
His friends laughed evilly and mockingly, moving their weapons in a showy fashion. Elazar himself did not change his face, but simply crossed his arms behind his back.
- A tempting offer. But before I answer, may I ask you a question?
- Go ahead. - laughed the leader.
- I'm ashamed to admit it, but I met the Batarians for the first time here on Omega. And during the incident in that bar, I had a chance to see your species die," the inquisitor began, looking interested. "How do you feel about the afterlife?
- What are you getting at?" the leader stared at Elazar, then smirked, "Or do you want to compare it to what awaits you now if you don't listen?
- No, no. Purely personal interest. It's just that when their heads exploded from the shells my partner and I fired, the surprised, bewildered, and fear- and pain-filled eyes of your brethren that were flying all over the bar like scraps of unwanted meat in a slaughterhouse seemed kind of... pathetic to me.
The three Batarians froze as they heard the Inquisitor's words.
- You know, when raised cattle are led to the slaughterhouse, they have no choice but to accept their miserable deaths for the good of another species. Those were the eyes of those who died in that bar. Just a meaningless and empty death," Elazar continued, ignoring the rising heat in front of him, "Pigs and cows from Earth don't believe in an afterlife, do they? They're raised by humans to slaughter them and get their meat. That's why I'm curious, how do you feel about the afterlife, and do you have one?
As soon as he finished speaking, three barrels with fingers on the triggers immediately rushed towards him to open fire. But while the inquisitor was speaking, the surroundings changed. The temperature dropped unnaturally, creating a faint icy fog in the alley and a thin layer of ice on the ground beneath Elazar's feet. The Batarians, however, paid no attention to this as the Inquisitor's words forced them to focus on him.
- Now you've dug your own grave, you bastard! - The leader roared and pulled the trigger like the other two... Or rather, he tried to, for his rifle jammed, and so did the other two.
He didn't have time to finish his sentence, for the inquisitor calmly raised his hand and swung it sideways. The three Batarians, without any visual signs, crashed into the wall with a loud thud. Muffled painful screams echoed through the alley as Elazar watched the trio of stunned pursuers with his usual smile on his face.
They tried to get up and regain their fighting ability, but their attempts were quickly foiled by the following blows as if they were being beaten by the air itself. The Batarians simply didn't realize what and how they were being tossed about, as if they were bags of garbage. Everything happened without their eyes seeing it, for there was no one around but them and the inquisitor, who simply stood there and moved his hand.
Moments later, the two underlings lay unconscious in different corners of the alley while the ringleader slid down the wall and leaned on it, trying to figure out what had happened.
- Biotic! But shouldn't there be a blue glow?! - The ringleader grunted in pain.
- Psyker, to be more precise," Elazar corrected him and, approaching the battered leader, whose head was bleeding, his arm broken, and his eye bleeding, squatted down in front of him, "An interesting fact, emotions on the battlefield are nothing more than ballast. They interfere with concentration, thoughts get jumbled together, causing you to be distracted by unimportant factors, as well as making their owner extremely predictable.
He paused, and his smile grew wider, making him turn into a more intimidating version of himself. Upon seeing her, the Batarian flinched and tried to move away, but was hindered by the wall he was leaning against.
- And not just in battle, but in normal life as well. Emotions are the very part of every living thing that limits it. Love, hate, joy, sadness, rage, anger. These are all birth defects that only hinder the evolution and survival of the species.
- What the hell are you talking about? - grunted the leader, trying to understand the essence of the frightening inquisitor's words.
- Don't mind me, Mr. Stalker. Just thinking out loud," Elazar waved his hand, "And you're right, let's get back to business. I'll give you a chance, just like you did earlier. I need the locations of all the slave trading gangs you know of. As well as the points where the slaves themselves are being held. For that, I--
- I will not betray my brothers, human! - You will get nothing from me.
- Well, well, why be so categorical," Elazar said, and then looked at the body of the leader and rubbed his chin, "You know, I also wonder how many bones are in your body? Humans only have two hundred and six, and since anatomically the Batarians are close to humans, there should be about the same number, right?
- What? Why are you-AGH! - cried out in pain as Elazar broke the phalanx of his index finger.
- Oh? I think I broke something," Elazar said with the same smile, "Well, it's no big deal. It's just one single phalanx, right?
- You're AGH!!!
- Hmmm... Now two phalanxes. This may take a while, but we're in no hurry, are we, Mr. Stalker?
- You fucking psychopath! - shouted the Batarian at the top of his voice, to which the Inquisitor feigned indignation.
- Why, I'm just trying to study the anatomy of your species. What makes you think I'm a psychopath?
- You're a- KHA!
- Well, let's get on with it. We have plenty of time. - unaffected by the Battarian's cries of pain, Elazar continued the torture.
From fingers to wrist. From wrist to elbow. From elbow to collarbone. Each bone was broken in sequence by the inquisitor, and the alleyway was filled with cries of pain that went unnoticed by all the inhabitants of Omega. The crunching of bones was accompanied by a deafening echo as the Batarian watched in horror as his body was slowly and painfully broken time after time.
Now he saw no man before him, but the very real demon whose broad smile frightened him to the core. He wanted to run, to beg for help, to beg for mercy, but all his attempts were futile, for the alley was a decent distance from the residential sector, and the demon in front of him seemed to be enjoying his torment.
- STOP! STOP! STOP! I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING!
And at some point, as one of his hands and the fingers of the other went through the demon's 'research', he gave up. He just wanted to end the suffering and die so that this monster would never get him again.
- Sure, sure. It's a shame we didn't go all the way, but since you're so eager to do me a favor, how can I ignore such a courtesy? - Elazar paused and looked at his victim contentedly.
- Please... after I tell you everything... kill me..." the Batarian practically whispered with pleading, pain and hope in his voice.
- 'Of course,' the inquisitor let out a chuckle, 'So, I'm listening to you.
-0-
After a while, Elazar slowly walked towards the hotel. In the alley where the scuffle had taken place, only three dead Batarians remained, with a burned hole in their heads. And the ice formed by the psychic forces had already begun to melt. This place was no longer a simple empty alleyway, but an area filled with death.
But the inquisitor cared little about that. He had gotten what he wanted. His saying that the information from the rescued slave girls was important wasn't quite true. What was important was the information from the aftermath of the rescued slave girls, which was what had happened now. And now he could act by including the girls in the events.
- Hmmm... My sortie has gone on a bit long, eh? - Elazar spoke to himself, looking at the time - The result is excellent, though. All that's left is to get started.
It had been two hours since he had left, which meant that the Battle Sister and the girls should have returned by now. The Inquisitor also thought it was worth stopping by Marlo's and ordering a lot of explosives, as he wanted their debut to be loud and colorful. This method was the most effective in his circumstances, as it would be the one that would allow Elazar and Damia to get the attention and publicity they needed. Small costs in exchange for huge benefits, right?
-0-
A/N: How's the chapter? Give us your opinion. You may well be able to influence future chapters.
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