Kray had been fuming. Fingers drummed on the console before him, his eyes glancing towards the artifact that his sister brought to him. That was before Nissa decided to play with his sweet Diva and got caught in the cross fire. He had what the knights wanted and they had what he wanted. Of course he wanted the artifact as well.

He and a contingent of Adda escaped that station and now Kray considered his options. He wasn't about to return to Goro nor was he planning on turning over his hard won prize. Instead he sent a message to his people after he weighed his options. Then he opened a channel to the distant base he had fled. He barely had the station on his sensors and would be out to hyperspace before any fighter could launch after him.

It was easier taking on a knight in a space battle but this shuttle was ill prepared to do that. Nor did he himself have too much experience in that matter. He was once a knight, however, and knew that pride was something that could be used against them.

He would make an offer which any knight would think of as a double cross but would risk it any way figuring that the prize was worth it and that they could manage to best any trap he could spring. Hyper course plotted he was moments away from making his jump when he opened up a channel to the base.

Not knowing who had captured his sister, if she was not killed, he vowed to get a bit of revenge. She was probably still alive, the others would want to make an example of her after a trial. He was going to find out who apprehended his sister in time. One or more knights stormed the station, there was only one ship that he saw on sensors and he was pretty sure that the Adda didn't destroy any inbound ships.

“Knights of Ozatol I have something you want and you have something I want. An exchange is in order.” He waited a bit longer than he would have to see if anyone would open up a channel.

It was a miracle that Sir Demetrius managed to escape the station in the midst of the attack that swallowed the entire space station in chaos. Goro's Adda soldiers were driven back with military precision and overwhelming might almost as quickly as the first contact alarms sounded and the station rocked with concussive explosions that shook the dura-steel plating floors, walls, and ceilings. The stations hull buckled, pleasure compromised, half the station was in disarray as Kray recalls one moment marching down a hall to the command center to check the disturbance ringing in his ears only to be caught in the minor explosion that knocked him off, tossing him forward just out of the way of a collapsing beams as the hallway he once walked crumbled in with debris, cutting him off from his captured lover Diva, his new pet Alexandria, and his cherished sister Nissa. Kray had no choice but to flee as a small contingent of Adda joined him like rats escaping a sinking ship.

Kray would not have his suspicions until after he was off the station and he saw only one red blinking dot on his vessel navigation indicating an enemy was present at the base. It wouldn't be until Kray looked out the viewport and saw the heavy assault cruiser docked with the station as the alien crest on the side of the enemy vessel she was far too familiar with. Knights... Ospoden knights of the sacred heart.... they arrived and ruined his fun however there was another crest on the side of the vessel that Kray was not yet familiar with. It depicted a pair of wings encompassing the star of Ozatol and under the crest written in Ospdoen glyphs were the phrase, "Peace through unity, unity through conquest." It was a phrase Kray might know if he was versed in the ospoden's bloody history, originating in the epic's of the Tyrant Lord Gaft and his attempted conquest of the known universe. It was an odd choice of phrasing for the knights of the sacred heart to used however Kray would soon realize he was not dealing with the same usual group of knights as he would witness outside the viewport of his escape craft the appearance of a much larger vessel suddenly jump in from subspace near the base. The new ship sported the same crests as the small one currently docked with the base, however it also had written on the side of its bulkhead in more ospoden glyphs "Manticore.".

“Knights of Ozatol I have something you want and you have something I want. An exchange is in order.” The gruff voice of Sir Demetrius's voice came through the comlink haling the Manticore demanding contact, however, try as Kray might he did not get an imidate reply from the attackers until he witnessed the smaller vessel docked with the space station pull away and return to its mother only for the Manticore to suddenly open fire on the base, destroying the station with a barrage of turbo laser fire, ending the lives of the Adda unlucky enough to be left aboard after the station went up in a glorious explosion. It was the level of precision and brutality that Kray witnessed that would make him realize he was not dealing with just one, two, or even a small group of knights that assaulted him and Goro's interests as Kray would soon come to know.

"Attention fleeing vessel, this is High Paladin Athena Melisara. Commander of Saint Ezia's personal guard, the Valkier corp." A commanding feminine voice Kray might recognize would come over the com channel. "Surrender immediately or suffer the wrath of Ozatol divine punishment... You have been warned." Athena would stat cold and clearly. It would be up to Kray to respond, however in the current situation he had little bargaining power, the base was destroyed, his sister was captured, he no longer held hostages, it was just him, a small contingent of scared and useless Adda, in ship that was only good for running away.... the only bargaining chip Kray had left was the broken and mangled artifact, the shattered gauntlet, the hand of malice.... however something told Kray that knights would not go through such lengths to rescue just one knight, and a human women....

-----

Transitioning back before the destruction of the space station and Knights stormed the halls, the metal devil was facing off the last Adda known as Gonnar standing between the heavy knight and her shield sister as she simply glared past the four-armed demon, regarding her fellow shield sister, the human agent, and the women she only knew as Nissa. The sound of sex was loud, but the sound of battle was louder as the heavily knight simply ignored the off-putting sounds of licking, moaning, slurping, and cries of passion and focused on her opponent who seemed more than eager to beat her and single combat and tare her armor from her body the first chance it had, however, the heavy knight was not willing to let that happen as she simply took that step forward and ignored the threat the four-armed demon made in regards to using Diva as a meat shield.

Calling the demons bluff the heavy knight simply moved with her sword in hand, not flinching as the four-armed demon tossed his explosive device making him either brave.... or stupid as the bomb landed in the hallway at her back..... The knight paid it no mind as she simply stepped forth and powered through the explosion that rippled outwards with a concussive force that barely even made the knight stagger as Gonnar tossed aside Diva and banished his weapons to engage the knight in single combat It was a fatal error to do so as he simply found his attacks easily parried, or powerful knocked away despite his strength and extra number of limbs as even the attacks he managed to land simply bounced or scrapped off the knights armor causing little or next to no harm as Gonnar would find that unlike Diva's armor.... this suit had no gaps to pierce, joints were armored, leaving little exposure of the knights body to hit, it was almost like fighting a tank as Gonnar would quickly find that he was not gaining any kind ground..... but he was being toyed with as he slashed, kicked, and punched in vain, only to break his knives, hurt is fists and feet and at one point even give him self a nasty concussion as he employed a head butt as his kind usually do to try and rattle her head.... only to discover that horned helmet of her was tougher than even his natural alien skull.

In the end, Gonnar fell as he would find the knights blade slashing upwards into a skyward slash that tore through he chest and sent one half of him to the ground in a heap of his own blood, ending his pathetic life then and there before the knight lowered her weapon among the room of dead adda and turned to face what she came here for as she glared to the trio on the bed from behind her sturdy helmet. Seeing Diva more or less comatose from sex, Alexandria was not far behind her lover, and Nissa..... the heretic bitch was still going and seemingly proud of what she had accomplished as the knight witnessed Nissa gently pet the human agent, and glare up to her with a gasping moan of desire and make a request that didn't seem to surprise the heavy knight.

"Enough games........ Your coming with me whore.... The High Paladin has demanded your capture....." The knight shouted in frustration as she lashed out with a armed gauntlet and took Nessa by a handful of her long hair and roughly tugged her backwards off the bed before she had her chance to change positions with Alex. "High paladin..... I have Nessa in my custody.... Calling reinforcements to my location.... I have located sister Diva.....and her.... partner...." The knight said as she glared back to Alexa before facing the entrance to this sex charged chamber.

Nissa would be unable to hear who replied to the knight that slew her allies and took her by the hair, she only knew that this knight followed their orders to the letter as the heavy clad warrior took the lewd smith by a handful of hair and dragged her off the bed with little to no effort. Even Nissas own muscles strengthen by her forge work was not enough to stop the warrior knight. There was a vast difference between a warrior who honed their skill and strength in numerous battles and an artisan working strength from her craft. Nissa was dragged off the filthy sheets and out of the chamber and the last thing Diva and Alexandria both saw was the heavy clad knight moving to the door of the chamber where both Nissa and the knight were meet by others clad in armor who took Nissa into their custody followed by others who entered the room towards them, after that only darkness as the pair were swept off to safety, rescued by the holy order and hauled off the stations to the Valkyrie Corp's medium assault cruiser...... The Manticore.

Nissa would find that her time aboard the Manticore would not be nearly as pleasant as the two slaves who were rescued, no Nissa would discover a nice cramped cold cell was waiting for her aboard the Manticore as the venom spewing bitch was bound in chains and dragged off the assault ship by her pretty long pink hair as the knight she only knew as the metal devil uncaringly gripped her long pink locks and simply dragged her naked flailing body across the hanger bay and to the brig if she didn't manage to keep up. "Get moving whore...." The heavy clad knight said with a cold hollow voice, distorted by her horned helmet as she forcefully dragged Nissa down halls, and chambers before reaching the brig were the knight merely tossed the lewd smith into a cell, leaving her naked, and bound in chains on the floor. "Nissa Demetrius.... you are hereby guilty of crimes against the Ospoden holy empire and the verse....your charges are theft.... murder.... unlawful imprisonment..... slavery.... and treachery... How do you plead crimes..." The knight would say coldly, looming for the women giving her a moment to speak, holding a heavy steel fist clenched over her.

Kray took it all in. The ship was peculiar, the motto painted on the hull contradicting in part the Order of the Sacred Heart. Of course, he didn't have much contact with his home world for well years. Outside of his recruits feeding him a bit of gossip from time to time most of the Ospodans under his banner hadn't been in the system just as long. Nissa did but he had determined long ago that she wasn't the most reliable as far as information went.

No response came to his hail, at least initially. He took a deep breath still there at the controls since he didn't trust the low tech Adda. Sure some had marginal skill but were barely competent. Not that he was a great pilot but he could at least get them to where they were going. Kray had other interests.

Then he bristled as the station was fired upon and destroyed. Even the Adda in the co-pilot's seat understood what sensors had been telling them. He said something in his dialect which caused a commotion with the others that had been onboard. News travels fast. He sighed and while the bulk of Adda here were good being his personal guard he realized how out classed they were against knights.

Then his communications had been answered. Was that? It was.

Well a trade was out. His finger hovered over his communications array ready to transmit a response while his other plugged in the calculations to make a jump. They were far enough from the station now and the Manticore actually helped them in destroying it reducing the mass of the station and reducing the minute strain of gravity that it produced. It was marginal letting him jump a few seconds sooner then he normally would. But a head start was a head start. He didn't doubt that they could catch up to him but they still had to figure out the plethora of points he could jump to based on his heading things could be narrowed down a little but not much.

There was no way that all those knights came for just Diva. Not unless she managed to get real connected since his absence. Diva. He'd miss her but this was not the last he would see of her. Or his sister for that matter. They had to have realized what he had meant about an exchange. Maybe even going as far as destroying the station to let him know that they meant business.

“Ozatol is a punk ass bitch.” He transmitted his response then jumped away from the scene.

---


Nissa glared up at the knight. Cold and irritated the effects of that drug had ran off by now allowing for sharper senses. She didn't respond, couldn't respond with the gag and made no effort to do so until the gag was loosened.

“If I am guilty what does it matter my plea?” She let her eyes trace over the armor appraising the craftsmanship. She seemed to process whatever she was searching for with that one look before moving on. “My brother has the Hand, your feeble attempts of destroying it on the station were for naught."

She then found something interesting to watch on the wall rather than craning her head to gaze up at the knight. Part of her didn't wish to see the end coming as well and figured that at any moment her life would be at an end.

The rather odd statement that came through the comm channel of the enemy ship forced a rather awkward moment of confusion in the C.I.C as the crew working the bridge of the Manticore abruptly paused and looked up from their consoles and controls as if they could not believe such a vulgar and childish phrase passed the communication chatter. It would far later that this instance would be cataloged for Human agents of the A.D.D to receive as intel, but it would simply be mistaken as strange digital noises picked up from a stray satellite signal originating in Earth orbit, possibly a phrase from a late-night t.v show, or an angry gamer taking out his verbal frustrations out on his opponents while "pawning noobs", regardless at this moment in time the Ospodens knew who said it and if Demetrius Kray could see the deadpan expressions on the crew's faces he would be utterly ashamed as even the high paladin Athena Melsara her self could not help but facepalm the brown of her helmet and let out a deep sigh of disappointment at the vulgarity of turning a rather intense situation into a farce before the renegade and his small contingent of Adda jump away and escaped.

"*Sigh*.... Find where he went...." High Paladin said to the crew in the CiC on the bridge as she carefully took a seat in her command chair, her shoulders slumped looking almost emotionally drained. "What? What even was that? Was that human slang?" Athena would say out loud tossing a hand back in an almost dismissive wave as she regarded a nearby crew member who was working on a console. That crew member would look up from her work and simply give her leader a subtle shrug of uncertainty before simply getting back to work.

---------------

Meanwhile back in the brig, The metal devil missed the farce that took place on the bridge as she was instead dealing with the very real interrogation of the lewd smith, Nissa Demetrius as the knight dragged her into her cell by her hair, threw the sorry women to the floor and loomed over her with fierce intimidation as she would reach down with a heavy gauntlet clad hand and wretch the gagg from Nissa's mouth roughly.

"Speak.... I grow impatient...." The heavy knight said with a feminine but hallow distorted voice that almost echoed from the helmet she wore. The face of the knight's helmet glaring directly to Nissa's own as the women struggled to process something. The heavy knight's patience was already growing thin as she stood up, looming menacingly over Nissa for a brief moment allowing Nissa to speak. "Then you confess to your crimes...."The heavy knight would reply simply, almost disregarding the rest of what Nissa had to say regarding the hand, her brother, the space station they just atomized, Nissa seemed far more interested in what was on the wall than talking as suddenly Nissa would feel the heavy boot of the knights grieve swiftly kick into her stomach sending Nissa sliding across the cells cold dura steel floor.

It was clear this knight used very heavy-handed methods to interrogate the churches enemies, unusually for typical knights of the sacred heart, however, Nissa would not have long to think about it as any moment to catch her breath was fleeting before the heavy clade knight was already stomping across the cell towards her once agin as Nissa would feel a cold armored hand reach out once agin and take a large handful of her hair before she was forcibly yanked up to her knees. The knight didn't seem to care if she was hurting or pain, no instead the warrior's unnerving featureless faceplate merely glared down at her as the armored gauntlet on her head forced her to look at the knight. "Look at me when you are speaking..... Now..... before I sentence you to death.... tell me what you to traitors want with the hand...." The knight would say with a cold tone. If Nissa refused to answer she would receive a rather hard backhand from the knight before receive another to the opposite cheek before moving on. If Nessa found it in her heart to answer then the knight would simply listen to her confession before simply backhanding her twice anyway... Either way Nissa wasnt going to feel good as the knight muscled down on her prisoner intensely.

He bristled scanning the Adda about him knowing that they would die. There was no way he was going to return to Goro with them, not with his sister in danger and there was no reasonable way that he could use them to board the Manticore. Fortunately there were a few things that he had prepared for this eventuality. That all depended on Nissa. If she was flippant or forgot then his work was cut out for him and there was a lot of work that he had to do.

Annoyed by the constant jabber of the Adda, their leader, now that Gonnor was dead or captured desired revenge. On and one he kept protesting the fact that they should take the fight to the knights, that they needed to avenge their loses. He even wanted to contact the Emissary when it was pointed out how out matched they were. Acquire reinforcements and ships, though that was doomed. The Adda could barely pilot and would only get incinerated before they could conduct boarding actions. And even if they managed to pull it off those that managed a boarding action would be cut down. Not unless they had an edge.

Board of his whining and upset about his loses Kray dispensed with the Adda and silenced the others. He didn't care who stepped in to command them now. He had been out of touch given his possession and it showed but he'd be damned if he was going to have to put up with Goro's lizards for the next few hours.

Once back in real space he made a few calls. It was time.



–




Back on the Manticore Nissa found herself smacked by the gauntleted hand of the knight. First this way then that. Nissa glared at the knight, her cheeks burning with pain she had been bound and unable to sooth them any.

“Confess? I'm not to get a trial? Where are your sensibilities? Or have the knights fallen so low that they are now serving as judge, jury and executioner and you brand me a traitor?”

She took the blows that were given to her. Wincing and in pain wherever the cold metal impacted her bare skin. Spitting up a little blood in the process she squirmed a bit to get back on her knees, cheeks red with the marks of those blows she breathed a little heavier.

There was that question that was posed to her regarding her and her brothers motives. Naturally she was going to protect Kray but didn't see this hurting him. She might not have confessed to her crimes and by explaining her motives that may have been deemed just as bad.

She didn't place it passed the knight to have hidden recorders in the cell. Not that it would matter, her fate was sealed. Probably. Yet she smiled, a bit of defiance perhaps that vanished from her lips if struck again though whether another blow came or she had gotten a chance to suck in a breath she went on.

“It is simple. Aside from unlocking the relic the Hand is a great recruitment tool. There are many houses on the verge of joining his cause but Kray Kray had to show them that he has the resources to accomplish what he's promised them.”

She didn't explain what they were promised. As a loose cannon Nissa was never told everything and that was probably for the best. “Things can get real ugly for you and your order. Unless ...”

Her smile dropped and she spat out a little blood, glared at it then looked back. “Strike that. I'm better off here.”

((O.O.C: Let me know if I'm pushing the rough bad cop angle too much and I will tone it down >.< I dont want to upset anyone who might think its a bit to much.))

The crew of the manticore would get to work on locating where Kray and his troops retreated too, during this time however Nissa was busy in the interrogation room with the heavy-handed knight who lead to her capture as the poor traitor would feel the metallic sting of hard ospoden steel gauntlet striking her cheek one after the other as Nissa was slapped and smacked around and if for any reason Nissa collapsed or fell to her side then the Knight abusing her would merely drag her back to her knees where she would receive more punishment for her impudence.

"Trail?" The knight would spit coldly as Nissa spoke her reply to her question. "Traitors don't have the luxury of a formal trial..." The knight said before another hand lashed out to strike Nissa's cheek, drawing blood from her cheek that smeared on the knights once shinning metal glove before that same gauntleted hand would snap out and roughly take Nissa by the hair, yanking her head back so the traitors eyes met the cold features of her helms face place. "I am Kazixia of House Triage... I am an arbitor... an inquisitor of the sacred heart, and loyal hand to High Paladin Athena Melisara... I have authorization from the church and the high paladin her self to do with you as I please you venom spitting bitch... Sensibilities? This is war... you have no such rights.... you, your house, your brother.... your all traitors.... you don't have the respect of the church, of me, or of Ozatol... I am your Judge... I am your jury... I am your executioner...." The inquisitor said coldly before the hand Kazix used to grip Nissa's hair would simply yank her head to the side and cruelly throw Nissa to the cold metal floor of her cell.

Nissa would be allowed a moment to suck in a breath before the inquisitor noticed the defiant smile that crept onto the traitor's bloodied face. Kazix would simply glare down at her from where she stood, fighting the urge to kick her while she was down as she allowed the vial women to speak her words and shout any information she might have. "Kray unlocked the hand? What do you mean? Are you saying more houses are turning traitor.... that is a bold accusation..." Kazix said with a serious tone, place her hand on the hilt of the sword that hung on her hip. "How did he manage to use it.... explain..." The inquisitor would say coldly down at her, however, the moment Nissa decided to withhold information and didn't speak then the traitorous women would find a heavy steel boot in her gut as she was swiftly kicked hard enough to send her sliding across the floor to the back wall of her cell.

"YOUR BETTER OFF DEAD!!!! NOW I TOLD YOU TO SPEAK!!" The inquisitor shouted as she immediately moved to Nissa reached down and grabbed a nice handful of her pretty pink hair yanking her head to the side forcing Nissa to meet eye to eye once agin. There would be a moment of silence before the knight would merely push Nissa's head to the floor and stand before glaring down at her menacingly. "You know what..... Strike that... I think I heard enough for your hate-spewing mouth...." The inquisitor said coldly before drawing her magnificent blade and angeling the tip of the sword down towards Nissa's neck, the edge of the blade drawing a small trickle of blood from where it lightly rested against the women's bare skin as for the first time Nissa would see the magnificently crafted silver sheen of the blade leading up to the red tapered hilt...

Kazix's Sword.


The inquisitor wouldn't utter a sound as she held her blade to Nissa's neck, there was no empath or hesitation as Nissa would see the resolve in the knight's movements, this Kazix was planning to execute her right there, right then as the suttle lift of the blade would raise ready to come back down and sink into Nissa neck and end her pitiful life... however fate was fickle as at the last moment befor Nissa would feel the icy cold blade sink into her flesh the knight would instead pause as both the traitor and the inquisitor would hear the commanding words spill out from the communicator on Kazix's armored wrist. "Arbitor... bring the prisoner to the bridge..." The commanding voice would speak before the communicate would merely cut off and Kazix would relax her blade trained on Nissa's neck, stepping off as she would simply twirl the sword in her hand and sheath it. "Hmm.... seems our lord still has a use for you.."

The Adda were a primitive species that only within the last ten years were given energy weapons. They mastered what they were given learning weaponry save for repairing it. Most knew how to clean their weapons as part of learning how to use it. The warriors were enthralled with their killing devices. Some of the workers learned tech skills but these were far behind.

They even had a few scientists in their midst but they were well behind most of the civilized species in the galaxy. Simple tasks took them twice as long to complete most of the time. The Manticore would discover an energy trail from an engine that had been calibrated incorrectly leading to a slow leak of energy that lingered a little longer.

It wasn't much but could allow for them to pick up the craft if they jumped into the right area taking some of the guess work out of it. This energy would last for around half an hour, maybe as upward as an hour depending on what was done. They had a fighting chance to pick up the shuttle assuming they kept guessing correctly and didn't waste too much time with any wrong choices before they could pick up the trail once again.

Back on the cell on the Manticore Nissa found herself struck and kicked when she didn't respond straight away. Her scalp burned from a hand tugging on her hair. Oh what she would have given for a slender blade about then though her restraints would still have to be dealt with.

She couldn't say that she was familiar with the knight's name but knew her station and kept up a little with what was going on on the home front. After all it was part of her job though she said nothing about that. She shrugged.

“I don't know how. Perhaps Diva knows. He was working with an alien to figure that out. Other enlightened will join us, join him once he returns with the hand.”

What little she knew she doled out in small bits. She didn't want this too appear to easy, that she was turning on Kray. She had to be careful with how much information to reveal but her assailant was brainwashed by the church and had her at sword point before she knew it.

She flinched though she did not close her eyes too busy with searching the surroundings for what little good they would do. She was too slow in getting out information. “Wait”

Nissa had been about to offer up something even if she had to lie or make something up every second was one more second that she lived. Relief hit her when she heard the order over the wrist com though she fought back a grin. The orders alive had never been specified even if that was implied Nissa wasn't about to press her luck.

Naked and bleeding she managed to get back up to her knees wondering what this was about. They didn't find her beloved brother, they would have no use for her. A trade? Maybe but that seemed unlikely, Kray should be out of the system by now and clearly this vessel would be able to deal with an Adda shuttle. She didn't know the Adda all that well but knew that they were stunted when it came to tech from what her brother told her.

The knight sheathed her sword as the orders came through her commlink. It was disappointing, however, as any inquisitor Kazix was honor-bound to obey as gave an annoyed huff from behind her helmet and merely cast her malice back on the prisoner with an intimidating stare. Nissa would almost feel the hate oozing out of every gap of that armor, the intent to kill her was clear based on moments ago, but know the pink-haired bitch should know not to try anything... or test the inquisitor's patience.

"You hear the High Paladin.... Move..." Kazix said with a stern growl before she impatiently lashed out with a bit of rage and backhanded Nissa on the side of the head, no doubt rattling the traitorous whore before gripping her by the side of her pretty pink head and taking a rough handful of her hair once agin. It appeared this inquisitor had no issue causing their prisoners great pain or suffer as Nissa would find her self once agin begin almost lifted off the floor by her pink locks and dragged out of her cell. The inquisitor not stopping as Nissa better pray her hair and scalp were strong because if the cruel knight ripped out her hair then she would simply turn around and take a new handle to roughly drag her with.

Nissa would find her self being dragged through most of the ship this way, naked, bloody, and beaten, to the point she swore that the inquisitor was purposely taking the long routes to the bridge to prolong her punishment, actually, in fact, Nissa knew the devil horned knight was as she swore she heard the knight say some religious rights that particularly mentioned the punishment traitors, something along the lines of. "Those whom I love, I discipline; therefore be zealous and repent." The inquisitor would chant while she dragged her thought the ship's halls, and if Nissa ever tried something that slowed the knight down or got in the way of any of the crew members they happened to pass by then the prisoner would quickly discover a steel boot in her stomach or a heavy kick or slap to the side of her head or face before finally reaching the bridge of the manticore.



"Here we are.... pray for your sake that the high paladin has a use for you..." Arbitor Kazixia Triage would say coldly, the featureless faceplate of the horned helm regarding Nissa for a moment before the doors to the bridge opened with a swift swooshing of air before the prisoner would feel the metal fist gripping her hair sudden yank her forward, almost throwing her into the bridge control room where Nissa would land face-first on the floor in the middle of the ships c.i.c. The rather brutal entrance of the Knight and her prisoner got a response of surprised gasps as crew members around the bridge looked up from there stations and even stood up from their consoles as Kazix stooled onto the bridge behind Nissa and scanned the room. A brief moment of mutter fallowed before the white roped clad crew members simply got back to work with what they were doing, not wanting to stare or pray too long or else be scolded by their commander who was now the only one to regard the entrance of the inquisitor and the prisoner who was thrown to the floor at her feet.

"Hmm.. your late..... Is this her?" A vaguely familiar feminine voice would ask before the inquisitor would reply. "Yes my lord..." The inquisitor spoke before regarding Nissa with a dismissive wave of her hand before Kazixia would reach down and grasp Nissa by her arm, dragging her to her knees to finally glare up at a knight that she would no doubt recognize as the high paladin Athena Melisara her self. The high paladin was clade in her silver knightly armor and blue garbs. A royal red cape hung over her shoulders as she held a beast faced helm in her left hand against her hip. Athen would merely look down at the pink-haired naked prisoner, regarding her with her piercing emerald green eyes. "Speak your name..." Athena ordered, asking a simple modest question, however, it was up to Nissa to respond and if she did she would merely get the same piercing glare from the high paladin, if she didn't then and she refused then Nissa would find the inquisitor behind her sudden place a foot ageist the back of her head and with a hard push would drive Nissa's head face-first into the floor as already beaten and battered would be forced to kiss and lick the floor at the high paladins feet before moving on.

"Now....Nissa.... tell me where Sir Demetrius fleed to... " The high paladin would say sternly before she would wave her hand back to the giant holographic sphere hanging in the center of the bridge. The sphere was clearly a holo map of the local star system and numerous solar systems, and hyper lanes were crossed with red Xs, while others were circles with green Os. It would be clear rather quickly that they were tracking a ship, however, based on the range and distance they had considered they were narrowing down potential targets as they were busy tracking a smaller transport vessel.... likely the ship Kray escaped with. "Merely tell me now... and I will arrange for you a new prison guard before we return to Apov." Atena said with a stern tone awaiting Nissa response.

Her knees ached more than her calloused hands, hands that had been use to hard work. Cold steel rushed over her and more than a few locks of hair had been ripped from her scalp as she had been pulled along as if her hair had been a leash. She did not deliberately slow down but had been hard pressed to keep up as she was pulled along.

Her features battered and bruised she was bleeding in places to. Her ears straining to take in every sound that she heard. Chief among the normal operations of a ship of this caliber had been the mantra of the knight though the words had not been addressed to her.

In order to seek out an opportunity of some kind she kept her head up scanning the area only to be hastened along, smacked of kicked. Humiliated from the looks of the crew upon her she still kept observant for anything that she could use. Either this had been a large vessel or she was being paraded about. One thing was for certain, when she got herself out of this predicament she would make her jailer pay. She let out a hiss as she was pulled along and her latest thoughts disrupted.

Focus, Nissa. One thing at a time ...

Finally they reached their destination. Her knees bruised by the long journey. Practically flung into the room her palms helped brake her fall but her head still smacked off the steel floor. It was buzzing as images of people and monitors buzzed around her. Forced onto her knees her head still rattling from the collision with the floor she did not answer straight away.

Pressed down to the floor the words slowly coming into focus. “Lady Nissa Demetrius of the house by the same name.” When let up her attention happened upon the monitors and it was clear what they were doing.

A question had been posed to her, not just that but there was an offer of another guard. She couldn't imagine a pleasant one though she didn't think they could be worse either. She glanced toward the monitors again studying it though anyone that had been following her gaze would have noted that her eyes lingered on one particular sector where they were now and traced back to where they had been as if calculating that answer based of the information that had been proved to her.

“One of two places. Either back to the alien he was working with and his battle fleet or ...” she glanced back to the holo display gesturing with her chin to a spot north of where they were, well north on a two digital display. “Or his closest safe house. But even a battle cruiser wouldn't be able to get close to it.”

She did not say why or what defenses had been there. Nor had she disclosed where this safe house was or the battle fleet. Even the Adda could hold out against one ship though she wouldn't doubt it would be costly. They had the numbers. She didn't really pay attention but thought it was three battleships. Either the Manticore would need another ship assuming that was where Kray Kray was going or hit the safe house. Two options that they had to choose between or attempt to do both. In any case it looked as if her brother would make it to the safe house ahead of the Manticore. She didn't know exactly where the fleet was but it was somewhere in this sector. Her brother dealt with the Adda, she dealt with removing problems and recruiting for the most part.

Nissa would guess right once she realized she was being paraded about the ship, allowing crew members to take him her shame and punishment first hand. Cleric,s scribs, and other crew members across the ship all whispered and commented when they saw her, some even looking away in disgust or simply feeling shame or sorry for the pitiful battered women, which in a way was almost worse. Kazix didn't know if whores got embarrassed, she wondered if they did, and from Nissa reaction, she assumed they might, however, she knew they could suffer and was for certain going to try and make her prisoner suffer for her crimes, Nissa would learn this quickly and the abuse only stopped when they finally reached the bridge, however, even then the Inquisitor was close by, glaring down at her from behind the helmet she wore waiting for the opportunity to hit Nissa once agin.

"Good...." The high paladin said with a stern voice, her piercing emerald eyes not breaking from Nissa's for a moment as she listened to the prisoner answer her question. Athena had an intimidating level of focus that told Nissa not to linger or make mistakes if she did she knew a heavy steel hand would instantly strike her agin as the Inquisitor's horned helm lightly tilted to face downward at her. "North...." Athena said with a short glare, her eyes flicking to the Inquisitor who instantly lashed out and with a heavy smack struck the back Nissa's head with a closed metal fist, likely rattling her forward before the back of Nissa's head was roughly grabbed by her hair yet agin and yanked roughly back forcing the prisoner to look back up at the Paladin who merely watched her unnervingly. "If your going to lie or make mistakes on purpose... then I suggest you say the correct navigation..." Athena said coldly before she looked back at the star map. " Show me the safe..... where is it.... and why cant a cruiser get close..." Athen said sternly before Nissa would feel a cold metallic hand grab her by the arm and roughly yank her to her feet where she was forcefully shoved by the inquisitor to the center of the bridge where the holographic star map lingered. While Nissa was being forced to walk, she would see the eyes of numerous Ospoden crew members looking at her, the disgusted, and ashamed looks on their faces as the naked prisoner was forced to take a walk of shame as the inquisitor pushed her to the center console and with a brutal shove forced Nissa into the console, bending her over the countertop as Nissa was slammed face-first against the surface of a table before the Inquisitor reached out and took yet another handful of her hair and lifted her head up, painful yanking the prisoners neck back to look up at the display. "You heard the paladin.... show us where it is.... why can't the cruiser get close.... " The inquisitor said as she pointed at the system Nissa claimed held the safe house as a magnified view of the system would appear. "Speak quickly....Or els we will go for a walk outside the ship..." Kazix threatened.

Her head snapped forward only for her to have her head jerked back with the grasp on her hair rattling her brain in her skull. “Ungh!” North, south, up … that's what she had meant as far as that map went though she bite back a retort. She liked the knights. She had been trained as one though her talents and interests fell more to crafting armor.

She was skilled enough to handle a novice in a straight up fight though her skills were in other aspects. There were better ways to kill and honor could be held by the dead for all she cared. It was all about survival after all in furthering the aims of Kray Kray.

That steely gaze told her not to trifle with the paladin. Snatched roughly by the armor there would be another bruise there later, if she lived long enough. Slammed against a console her head jerked back to take in a blown up image of the sector.

“Let me go!” She gasped, the back of her head burning. She gazed at the star map conscious that there were eyes upon her. Drink it in. I'll pluck out all of your eyes if given the chance!

She pointed at an area not too far away. A system with six planets with an asteroid belt after the fifth. She studied the map before pointing to the specific area that she thought the safe house was in given stellar drift, gravity and all that fun stuff.

“Any Ospodan ship will be targeted. In short there are a number of hidden satellite weapons there. Weapons capable of taking down capital ships. Mines and sensors too. He's dug in there pretty well. I don't think he will respond to hails either.”

She let that sink in. They could try to blockade the area though in the time for other ships to arrive Kray could have moved on. She held her tongue not wanting to appear eager with offering suggestions which were likely to be ignored any way. It was best for her to let them come to their own solutions and subtly manipulate them into taking an action that benefited her.

Kazix didn't ease up on Nissa as she felt her ageist the consol and forced her to tell them where the base was located. The holds hurt, the metal gauntlets pinched skin, and even straining muscles and bones as Nissa was roughly handled by the Arbiter. "LET YOU GO!?" Kazix shouted before pulling back on Nissa's hair harder, threatening to rip the hair from her head. "LET YOU GO LIKE YOU LET GO OF OUR WAYS!!! OUR TEACHINGS!!!! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT YOU FILTHY RIDDEN BITCH!!!" Kazix shouted before slamming Nissa's head into the consol hard enough to shake the entire countertop and even cause the holographic display to flicker on and off before Nissa was able to reply with her face smashed up against the metal surface.

The high paladin didn't flinch at the Arbiter brutality, however other crewmates around the bridge cringes and even looked away from Nissa in shame for the women, some even saying a prayer for her in the Ospoden tounge as they looked away. "Ozatol... condemn this whore.." Nissa would hear some say in sheer disrespect towards her and her situation. Kazix simply held Nissa roughly against the counter, making it hard for her to speak however other wised allowed the words to leave the women's lips before the Arbiter would merely look to the High paladin. Athena would merely look at Nissa and the pitiful state she was in with the same unnerving look she has given her since she's been in her presence. It would be a moment as the High paladin looked to the star map displace and the places Nissa listed as the likely locations before regarding her agin. "So he is well-defended..... and won't respond to our summons you say..." Athena said before she stepped forward to her command console and took a seat in a throne-like chair that raised out of the floor behind her. "That sector is heavy pirate activity.... and Kray won't respond to us.... however... he will respond to you..... Nissa.." Athena said casting a cold look at Nissa. "Pilot... take us to the next star system.... Open a system a public communications channel and hail the base...." Athena would say before looking to Nissa with a stern scowl, it was a look that would make even the most confident of beings tremble with nervousness. "I hope your half brother has a sliver of caring for you... for your sake..." Athena would say coldly before the manticore jumped.

The manticore would leave subspace a few moments later in the next star system where Nissa claimed the safe house was located. The crew jumped the Manticore in just one planetary body off from where the base was supposedly located, shields up, weapons ready, as the commander on her bridge merely looked around at her disciplined crew who were all busy at their stations doing as she originally ordered to, watching radar, and opening a public communications that Athena would simply take a deep stoic breath and cross her arms over her plated chest. "Attention to all who may hear me.....In accordance with galactic civil law, I, High paladin Athena Melisara of the Ospoden Holy Empire, give my one and only warning. The name of her lady Saint Ezia Melrose and the holy council, all hostile vessels are demanded to surrender and stand down or else face divine retribution....." Athena would say calm and collectively over the comm channel before those stern emerald green eyes would flick to Nissa who was still being forcefully pressed against the table by the Arbiter Kazixia Triage. "...And Sir Kray Demetrius.... for your sister's sake.... I pray you are in this system... " Athena would nod to Kazix and the Arbiter would nob back before she would roughly yank Nissa back by her hair, causing as much pain as possible as Nissa would be yanked back to her feet before the pink-haired traitor would find a heavy metal fist swiftly lash out and slam into her side of her stomach, knocking her to the floor in the center of the bridge.

Any vessels that wherein range would pic up the communication, however only the base and any nearby ships would get a call would also give video feed of Nissa being shoved to the floor in the center of a command bridge, the traitor bloodied, and beaten.

There was a loud crunching sound followed by a scream. Blood littered the surface of the flickering console as Nissa's eyes flutter at the impact that her face made. Her nose broken, both eyes growing black with blood streaming down her face. She cursed drowning out the sounds of the others as her mind swam in that hazy fog.

The assassin felt the ship drop into hyperspace. Monitors showed her the stars turning into long white streaks of light while they passed by only for the ship to slow, those lines shortening and becoming numerous distant stars on sensors. One red dwarf star circled by a medium white star were closest set in this system.

Maneuvering in real space at the edge of the system they passed by one gas giant then came to the asteroid belt. Silence followed the communications. Whatever pirates there had to have powered down if not already in such a state and kept quiet either looking for an avenue of escape or hoping to be overlooked.

The Manticore was a single ship and would have to scan each asteroid one at a time to thoroughly find them. Searching the entire asteroid field would take time. Nissa hoped that they would be cautious too about those weapon systems. Plenty of those asteroids weren't what they seemed, satellites hidden within them and kept in a standby mode.

She worried. Not only did she loose Diva but brought the Manticore here. Minutes of silence drifted by and when she thought that he wouldn't answer, perhaps deeming to draw the ship closer to destroy it and everyone on board a channel opened.

They had procured a real time military grade communications array some time back. There was no lag, something that was standard for military vessels but for the general public was costly. At first she did not recognize her brother on the monitor. It was rare that she saw him with his silver armor on, a contrast to the other knights who's armor had been modified to make the suits more uniform in appearance. Absent was the gauntlet that would have been on his left hand leaving it bare which further alarmed her. He wasn't wearing it? Why? Nor was the Hand of Malice in the projected image.

“Paladin Melisara,” he hissed out each syllable. “If you know what's good for you you will return my sister to me.”

His focus never wavered. He didn't scan the bridge after seeing Nissa. His focus returned to the paladin.

Nissa would feel the eyes of numerous crew members on her, some cringing as they looked away in shame, others shivering at the sound of that sickening crunch followed by her blood curdling scream. It was hard to watch as some merely looked away in disgust of her, and not a single crew member thought Nissa was innocent of her crimes, each one knew she deserved her punishment, and even now this was far less the what she deserved as the Arbiter Nissa was coming to hate merely tossed her to the center of the bridge by her hair. Nissa's face a bloody mess as Kazix simply fallowed up quickly and delivered a swift kick to Nissa's side before the screen blinked on to reveal Sir Demetrius.

Kray would see in the first moments on screen his beloved sister being thrown to the deck as a heavy armor-clad figure stepped into view ti deliver Nissa a heavy kick to her side. Any scream Nissa made would quickly be silenced as the Arbiter kneeled down at the women's side and grab her favorite handle that was Nissa's pink locks. pulling the traitors head back so Kray could get a good look at his sister's bloodied and bruised face. "...don't speak filthy trash... utter a word and I will shatter your jaw..." The arbiter threatened as a hand reached down to cup Nissa's cheeks, squeezing her face tightly in her gauntleted grasp to cause great pain and discomfort.

"You are in no place to make demands... Sir Demetrius..." The high paladin replied, her emerald eyes piercing his as she glared up at the screen that allowed them to speak. "You have nowhere to run... Your sister took the liberty to tell us exactly where you are. Your back is to a wall.... That base you dug your self into is well defended, I will admit that... but in time I will breach it... and when I do... I personally drag you out of there and force your to witness your own houses execution, starting with your sister....... do you understand...." The high paladin said with a cutting glare that even the traitorous Kray would feel from his safe place aboard the starbase hundreds of thousands miles away. Such intensity burned in the paladin's eyes fitting of the liberator of Sun gate as she flung back her red cape and stood up from her command throne, keeping her eye's in constant contact with the traitors. "Now... I demand your absolute surrender..... power down your weapons and shields... This is your final warning...." Atena said, her eyes narrowing as around the bridge Nissa would catch glimpses of crew members lowering their heads in silent prayers before they all hurriedly got to work readying the manticore for battle. Athena would look away from Kray for a brief moment to regard Nissa who was pinned to the floor by the Arbiter holding her down as the paladin soon flicked her eyes back up to Krays. "Every thirty seconds you decide not to answer me is another thirty seconds my Arbiter will take out her frustrations on your sister... I would hurry..." Athena said with an unamused expression on her face, she clearly didn't enjoy torturing the poor girl, however, she knew what must be done as she would wave a dismissive hand at the Arbiter who would simply nod silently in reply.

"May Ozatol forgive your sins...." The Arbiter said coldly, her voice distorted by her helmet as Nissa would feel the metal gauntlet gripping her hair tighten before once agin her head was slammed face-first into the floor of the bridge once agin. Kazix didn't give Nissa much rest to recover as she pulled back on that handful of hair and yanked her head back, pulling her to her knees only to clench and strike Nissa across the face sending the poor traitor toppling back to the floor only for the process to repeat. The Arbiter all the while chanting. "Those whom I love, I punish; therefore I am zealous....." The Arbiter chanted agin and agin, beating Nissa until Kray finally made his surrender.

“Unh!” Flung to the deck the air went out of her as she was swiftly kicked by a metallic boot. She was still sucking up air as she was hauled up by her hair, hands grabbing each side of her head as she was forced to look on.

She heard the threat that had been made breathing irregularly as she fought to catch her breath while she could. She was unable to see the look on her brother's features but good tell he was irritated by the subtle body language he displayed. A small leaning action forward, his hand falling out of frame probably to rest on the hilt of his sword not that it would be useful at this distance.

“Now why would I do that? If you are so confident then come and get me. She's already lost Knight Kimry, you'd be doing me a favor.” His gaze shifted just a little to take in his battered wide eyed sister.

“I only regret not being able to get my hands upon her myself. How many lives are you willing to loose? You certainly realize that several will be lost before you can get close. And I have this.” He held up the gauntlet, the Hand of Malice.

“I assure you that my back isn't against the wall. Ships are converging here as we speak. The question is will they arrive before your back up gets here? If not you'd have to make a bold move costing several lives in the process assuming that you are even successful. Siege warfare favors me. Not to mention that if I launched ships you could only hope to destroy so many of them if they scatter.

“For now we are at an impasse. However, my dearest sister cost me. She needs to be disciplined.” Kray focused on Nissa. “I would prefer to do it personally but don't stop on my account.”

“Brother!” Nissa snapped, wide eyed and disbelieving to the point that she had disregarded the threat of the knight, not that she wasn't afraid but she had honestly got caught up in the moment.