Starcutter - 18. Chapter 18

Ryle was digging frantically at the cave-in. His claws, meant for tearing flesh, were useless against rock, stone, and sand. He didn't care...he had to get to Gabe. It was the only thought in his mind. He didn't feel the tears on his cheeks, he didn't hear Captain Jer telling him to stop. He didn't even stop when he was lifted bodily from the rubble. He still clawed at the air. “Let me go! I have to get to him!”

“Save your energy, that's a lot of rock,” one of the party said.

Ryle's head turned slowly, and the glare he shot the man was fury and death. “You will regret those words if he's hurting.”

The soldier took a step back. “I meant we would need more equipment than we have right now. He's a healthy kid, probably fell into a lower system, maybe a twisted ankle. We can find him.”

Ryle took a deep breath and nodded. He looked to see Captain Jet was holding him off the ground. “You can put me down. I'm done digging.” Jer did so, giving Ryle a brief hug. The Cana's face was a mask of dust, but he looked calmer now. “Now I'm going to look for him. The rest go on to the beacon. I'm going to get Gabe.”

“You're not going,” the Captain tried, but he stopped.

“You can lock me up then. I am going to get my mate, and if you try to stop me, I will kill you. Do you understand me?” None of them had seen Ryle when he was angry. None of them had seen the attack on Darth in defense of Meg. Right now...it was like they had never seen him before at all.

“If you get in trouble, call us on the radio and give us coordinates. We'll get you. You heard the pissed off poultry. Move out!” Ryle swiped at the Marine who laughed. “Bring him home, Tweety. The Captain will be hurtin' if ya don't.” With that, the rest went on towards the beacon. It was that or try and subdue the Cana who could probably take them all on unless they used lethal force.

Ryle pulled out the map of the mines and looked to see what was below this one. There was a tunnel down there, the fall not too bad were it vertical. He traced the route and nodded. He set off.

* * *

Gabe groaned as he tried to get to his feet. The fall hadn't been too bad, only about fifteen feet into soft sand, but the rocks that tumbled atop him hurt like hell. A few had hit his head and made him black out for a moment, but it was clearing enough to say he was fine. When he tried to move his arms, he found he could not.

“Don't even try to move, you little bitch. You're mine now.”

Gabe couldn't believe his ears. He couldn't see very well in the dim light, but he knew that voice. “You.”

“Me,” was all the speaker said, and then Gabe felt something collide with his head. Then the world was dark. He felt his consciousness slipping away, but not before he felt himself being bound and hoisted up. Damn.

When Gabe awoke again, he knew he was in a world of trouble. The light hurt his eyes and he felt like vomiting. He was sure he had a concussion. He also realized he was bound with his arms above his head and barely able to touch the ground. His shoulders ached, which meant he had been hanging there for longer than he wanted to be. The last thing he remembered was a voice. One he knew and one he never expected. How...

“Awake, are we? Good.” That voice spoke right in his ear, and Gabe flinched. “It took me quite a bit of effort to get you like this. To get you away from that fucking bitch of a Cana you have servicing you.”

Gabe tried to struggle against the bonds, but he felt fire explode across his back, hearing the crack of a whip. He whimpered and gasped, wishing he could wake up from this nightmare. He couldn't open his eyes without pain, so he couldn't begin to know who cracked the whip, but that voice...he hated that voice. From where? He couldn't remember right now.

“Trying to escape would only get you hurt, boy. My associate is very keen on hurting people and seems to hold a grudge against you. Perhaps it is because you are so pretty.” A finger caressed his cheek. Gabe pulled away, but a strong lash from the whip made him cry out. He bit down on his lip to stop himself from crying. “Such a pretty thing. So young, so handsome...such a nice physique, wouldn't you say?”

“Oh yeah. I been wantin' that ass since I seen it.” Gabe trembled at those words. He knew the whip wielder now. How had these two teamed up? “When can I have my fun?”

“In a moment. You, being quite larger than me, would ruin my fun. I want him to feel the pain of humiliation, feel it rip through him.” Gabe felt his pants being pulled off roughly. “My my, no wonder that Cana cunt loves you. Quite nice bit you have here. Too bad it will have to come off once we're done. Have you seen this?”

Gabe heard the one with the whip come around to the front. “That is nice.” Gabe screamed when he felt a rough hand grab his balls and squeeze. “Not much left in them. That fucking bird must drain them often. Get to your fun, I got me some payback for this little ass.”

“A few more lashes and then he might be more...agreeable.”

Gabe gritted his teeth and steeled himself for the pain.

* * *

Ryle followed the route he had memorized and found the spot where Gabe had fallen through. The slide had settled well enough, but Gabe was not there. His blood was though, Ryle could smell it, but his love was not. Wait...what was that smell? Ryle inhaled and began to shake. “How...oh god no!” The Cana took off like a shot, following that scent. Those scents. He knew them both and knew Gabe was in serious trouble. His heart thundered, and his pulse raced. He had to find Gabe. He had been alone with those men for almost an hour.

Too much time to be in either of their hands.

I'm going to kill them this time. If they hurt him...they will suffer. Ryle's face was grim, his mind filled with his own past torments. This time...this time he would not show mercy. This time he would be the one to torture them. He ran on down the tunnels following a new feeling. The feeling of his mate.

“Ryle to Captain Jer...I'm on his trail. Send whatever back up you can. He'll need medical attention.”

“Copy that, Tweety. Go get your man.”

* * *

Gabe fell to the ground when they released the bonds. His back was on fire, and his entire body ached. Sweat mingled with blood and stung every lash. He tried to crawl away only to get booted in the ribs, making the air whoosh out of his lungs. “Ah ah ah, no sense in trying to get away. We haven't had our fun yet.” Gabe was pulled to his hands and knees by his hair. “I cannot wait to see if this ass is tighter than your little Cana bitch. That was one choice piece.”

“Too bad I never got a sample,” the other man grumbled.

“Yes, too bad. Be a good man and tie him down on the sawhorse over there. No sense in him getting loose.”

Gabe was hauled to his feet and dragged over. He couldn't even begin to struggle any more. His body would not respond to his mind's desperate commands to fight back. When he was bent over, he knew what their fun was going to be. “No...” he croaked out.

“No? Boy, you think you saying no is going to stop us from fucking your little hole? Your father ain't here this time.” Gabe mumbled something. “What was that?”

“Fuck you, Darth.”

The former second mate just laughed. “Big words for someone who is about to get his little boy cunt destroyed. You see...we're going to be fucking you. Get to it, he's tied.” Darth backed off, shucking his clothes in plain view of Gabe.

Gabe flinched when he felt a set of hands on his hips. He tried to tip himself over, but the sawhorse was anchored to the floor. “Mmm. I like it when they squirm. I have a few things to get you back for, child.” There was a slight probing feeling at his anus. Then there was pain. Gabe screamed. “Shut him up, Darth, now!”

“My pleasure.” Darth stepped forward and thrust his member right into Gabe's gaping mouth...

* * *

Ryle could feel Gabe was in trouble. He felt pain and misery. Then he felt fear. The kind of fear that Ryle knew all too well. He didn't know where Gabe was, not really, but his heart told him that he needed to hurry. The Cana ran as fast as his legs could carry him, faster than he had ever run before. Down this hall and the next, through corridors of discarded mining equipment and even over a small chasm where molten glass ran like a red ribbon beneath. Ryle heard a faint echo of a scream, and he paused only for a moment at a crossroads, his senses open as wide as he could to try and find the source.

The faintest of whimpers made his head jerk left. He ran down the left tunnel and into the dim light of a work area. He could smell blood and sweat and fear...and Gabe. Ryle leaped up onto the scaffolding above, and he could see what was going on. Then he saw red. He gave no warning, no cry of outrage. He simply went for the kill.

Ryle landed atop the man who was raping Gabe from behind, his talons raking deep runnels in his neck, back and abdomen, spilling out his life blood and viscera in one effortless motion. That man had no time to scream, he simply gasped once for air and then died. Ryle perched atop the body and slowly lifted his head to look at Darth. The man backed away and fell to the ground. Ryle was on him faster than ever, tearing through his body like a vengeful demon and leaving little chance for survival this time.

He turned back and quickly shoved the corpse off Gabe's back. “Gabriel?” There was no response. His eyes were open, he breathed, but his mind retreated from the pain. “Jer! I found him. Bring medical help now. I don't care about some damned miner, Gabriel is in bad shape.”

“Copy that. The Captain is closer to your position. The beacon was a set up.”

“Son of a bitch,” Ryle swore and sliced through the bonds that held Gabe down. Still, he lay there. “Gabriel? Talk to me.” He took Gabe's hand and simply held it, crying now in shared pain and his own memories. “Gabriel?” Nothing. “Master?” Still nothing. “Beloved?”

Gabe's eyes flicked toward him, and he sobbed. That was it. That was all the response. It was enough for Ryle. He held Gabe's hand as the Captain stormed in, weapons drawn and medical teams swarmed over to take care of Gabe. The first touch sent Gabe into a fit of motion, lashing out at any who came near, his eyes filled with anger and rage.

“Stay back,” said Ryle, “give him some time to calm down.”

The Captain nodded and the team backed off. “Son? Do you know where you are? Do you know who we are?” There was no coherent response. Gabe stood there bleeding from so many places that Ryle knew he would pass out from loss very soon.

“Beloved, may I approach?” Ryle's tone was soothing, a song of love and calming. Gabe whipped his head that way, his nostrils flared like some maddened beast, but he nodded. “Give me the medical stuff.”

Carefully, while being coached from a distance, Ryle dealt first with the whipping wounds. They were the most life threatening. Neither the sting of the antiseptic, nor the needle to stitch him up seemed to phase Gabe. It was only when Ryle went to examine the one place he knew Gabe did not want anyone touching did he react, and that was to cry out and limp off to huddle in a corner. Ryle flinched back just in case, but there was no attack.

“Captain, we need to get him to the ship. He's in bad shape,” said a medical officer.

“Ryle, do you know a faster way out? I know you have seen the map.”

Ryle's eyes closed, and he could see it in very vivid detail. “Yes. It will take five minutes to get to the elevator and eight more to the surface after that.”

“Good. Ready a sedative, just in case. Remember, he is strong, he is known to have one helluva temper, and he is scared out of his mind. Ryle and I will take it from here. Hurry back to the ship and prep for launch.” The crew nodded and followed the route Ryle told them to take. The Captain turned back to Ryle. “Can you coax him to his feet? I'd rather not have to use force. Not now...not ever.”

The Captain watched his son, seeing the one thing he never wished to see. He son was beaten. Not just physically. He was emotionally hurt and in a way that the Captain could never understand. His strong son, his pride and joy. If the men had not killed already, the Captain would have made their deaths long, lingering and very painful. When Ryle had him standing again, the Captain began to hum. It was a nonsense tune, and not a good one, but Gabe's attention was on the tune and not the man. Slowly, gently, the Captain took Gabe into his arms and held his son close. He nodded to Ryle who led the way. Half way to the elevator, Captain Jer met them, and they formed a guard around the battered young man, staying out of any sort of threat range.

When they were in the landing shuttle and heading for the Starcutter, Gabe blinked, sobbed a few times, and then pulled Ryle into his lap, burying his face into the Cana's crest. No one said a thing.