The Raptor’s Claws

Posted on Fri Jun 27th, 2025 @ 1:14pm by Captain Rovak & Ambassador Drusilla Creon & Centurion Ixim & Lucius Creon
Edited on on Sun Jun 29th, 2025 @ 1:00am

692 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Histories
Location: IRW Imperatrix, Beta Quadrant
Timeline: 2401

“Mr Rovak,” Commander Creon told his bruised and bleeding Vulcan prisoner, “there are five basic torture groups. We’ve done blunt, that leaves sharp, hot, cold and loud. Do you have a preference?”

“Rovak, Commander, SR-777-413.” Rovak stated for what he thought must have been the 15th time, but the substances he had been injected with made it difficult to track.

“Alright then.” Creon said in a tone that could be understood as conciliatory. “We’ll switch to hot for a while.”

“Whatever enjoyment you derive from this experience is a personal failing, Lucius. No doubt a result of your deprived childhood in the slums of Romulus. You know I will not tell you what you want to know.” Rovak told him.

“No, I expect you won’t.” Creon said with a quiet laugh, ejecting a jet of flame to test his handheld flamethrower. “But then, you aren’t someone they trust, are you? You managed to spot the only successful Romulan infiltrator since Federation but she’d burrowed so deep that they threw you to the dogs. How did that feel? Having your own witnesses and colleagues turn against you. Stings, no?”

“My accusations lacked necessary evidence. I do not expect you to understand such procedural fairness, given your lack of experience.” Rovak said, looking stalwartly forward, refusing to acknowledge his captor.

“Experience is important. I can’t imagine what you’ll be able to take back to your fellows once your eyes and ears are puddles on my floor. You’ll make Christopher Pike look like someone who got a purple heart for spraining his ankle.” Creon laughed again. “Or maybe not. He did bring the Talos star group into the Federation. I can’t imagine what happens to you will be to anyone’s benefit.” His mirth disappeared, and his merciless Romulan nature reasserted itself.

As Lucius brought the jet of flame tormentingly closer to his victim, the ship around them began to rock. Creon tapped his wrist. “What the hell is that?” He commanded of his bridge crew.

“Commander, it’s the Hercules!” The shocked XO reported, torpedoing his Commander’s mood as he heard the news and suddenly stepped away from Rovak.

The ship continued to rock from impacts against its shields. Creon rolled his eyes. “Ixim, begin the Thaloron start-up sequence.” Creon ordered, oblivious to the beam-in behind him. “Commander, we’ve lost shields!” Came Ixim’s urgent update.

Drusilla, his daughter, and Captain of the Hercules appeared beyond his awareness, next to the surface Rovak was restrained against.

Before he realized she was there, she fired her type-2 phaser into him on a setting that disconnected his right arm.

Once his outcry had stopped, he looked up at her. “Drusilla, darling. I had every confidence you’d be here in time to-“

“Shut up, Lucius.” Captain Creon told her father, gesturing with the weapon in a way she hoped would stop him from expressing himself further.

“My darling daughter, you forget. There’s a great deal I haven’t told you. In particular about your daughter. There's so much to her you aren't yet aware of, despite her similarities to you. And I won’t if I don’t get the chance. So how about it? Giving me the chance to tell you.” He asked with his usual oily charm, though she could perceive his desperation. He clutched at the stump of his shoulder where his arm once was.

Drusilla tapped her combadge. “Creon to Hercules. Beam the Commander aboard.” She instructed, and Rovak disappeared in a blur of blue light.

Lucius lunged at her suddenly, but her starfleet issue boot into his jaw sent him reeling away, and she maintained her calm disdain.

“Tell me your secrets, or don’t. I don’t care. Your time ran too long some years ago. My ship has disabled yours. Tell me what I want to know, or don’t. I have no incentive for you. Redeem yourself or die the bastard stain on this galaxy I have always known you to be.”

Lucius looked at her, then to his wound. He inhaled, trying to decide.

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