Red's Tales: Ramaga's Wrath PT4

 PT4! Red has some flashbacks before awaking to find herself held captive by Ramaga and his empath allies. She's definitely not having a good day. But fear not, she may be in a bad spot but she's not licked yet!

Young Red stared down at the stone sarcophagus of her mother’s tomb where Tallana lay at rest. A portrait rested above the sarcophagus so no one would forget what she looked like in life. Tears ran in rivulets down Red’s furry face. She couldn’t hold the sobs within anymore and didn’t seem to be able to stop crying.

Her father held her close and Red buried her head into him as the sobs racked her body. He too had tears in his eyes.

“I... can’t believe…. she’s gone,” Red sobbed.

Her father squeezed her, “I know, I know. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. Ramaga shall pay for this. We’ll catch him.”

Red pressed herself against him.

“Your mother will always live in your heart,” he assured her.  

**

Red’s mind was a swirling mess of disjointed thoughts when a song came to her.

Stars! Stars! Loving you!

Ours! Ours! Forever too!

Knowing we'll be A Love Galaxy

Red regained consciousness and realized to her horror that she was singing the song aloud.

“No… I hate that song,” Red muttered.

Red looked around and took in her surroundings. The first thing she saw was herself in a mirror that had been set in front of her. She could see herself clearly tied to a steel chair. They had stripped off her outer clothing and left her in only her sports bra and panties. Ropes bound her wrists behind the chair back and secured her torso to the chair. Looking down she saw they had made sure she wouldn’t go anywhere, the rope was wrapped around her thighs and calves to the seat. They finished by securing her ankles to the opposite chair legs.

She seemed to be in a large storage area. To her left was a cart with all manner of unpleasant looking instruments and to her right was a holo recorder set on a tripod. Red strained against the ropes, but they held. Her head throbbed, as did her side, and she still felt weary from her constant fighting.

“I see your taste in music has declined,” Ramaga’s voice came to her.

Red looked to see him approaching with a toothy grin on his face. Next to him was Mileena, smirking.

“Ramaga! You bastard! Why am I in my underwear, you creep?”

Mileena answered her, “Humiliation is always the first step in breaking someone and there’s more skin to hurt.”

Red snarled, “Yeah? I used to have people dress me.”

Mileena looked to Ramaga, “Don’t let her fool you. She’s embarrassed. Violated even.”

“Good,” Ramaga chuckled, “You can’t hide your feelings from her.”

They drew closer. Red thrashed in her bonds.

“What’s your game Ramaga? Why didn’t you just kill me?”

The Daedalian swiveled an ear back, “That’s too easy. I have such plans for you.”

Red flattened her ears and glared at him.

Ramaga kept talking, “We’re going to humiliate you even more, torture you, and have you a begging whimpering mess. Every bit will be recorded. Including your eventual execution that you will be begging for at the end. I shall gladly do those honors.”

Red glowered at him, but he kept talking.

“The Daedalian government will be very interested in the footage I think. With it being broadcasted, the resistance fighting against the Sh’ra will be completely demoralized.”

The Sh’ra were raptor like aliens that had invaded and forced Red from her home. Currently, resistance groups were struggling against them as others suffered.

“There is no Daedalian government. Only spineless traitors like you. Puppets!”

“Beats being eaten or enslaved I guess.” Ramaga retorted. “Now then, after we’ve provided this service, the Sh’ra will surely repay us. They’ll provide military support to Colonel Penderre to retake Altheatia.”

“Are you really that stupid as to think you can cut a deal with those savages,” Red asked.

Ramaga struck her across the face. “I don’t care about politics! That’s Penderre’s problem! I’m here solely to gain my vengeance. Thanks to you, I’ve been a fugitive for years.”

Red grunted from the blow, “Me? That was your doing. You traitorous scum! You killed my mother!”

“Loss, desperation, anger.” Mileena smiled as she rattled off what Red felt.

“Shut up,” Red ordered.

“You’re the one who gave me away. It’s your fault, isn’t it,” Ramaga asked. The statement showed exactly how his mental state was.

“You’ve lost it,” Red stated.

“No. Things haven’t been clearer,” Ramaga replied. “I’m going to oversee every step of breaking you. It will be a pleasure.”

Red thrashed in her bonds, “When I get out of this, you’re dead! Soohkspawn! Snargahl! Bastard!”

Ramaga flattened his ears, “You know what? I’ve had enough of your mouth princess.”

He advanced on her, a belt in his hand. Red tried to bite him, but he quickly clamped her muzzle shut and looped the belt around. Tightening it to force her mouth shut.

“You’ve put up quite a fight, but I’ve won.”

With that Ramaga leaned down and bit her ear. He clamped down until he forced a whimper out of her. In Daedalian culture, biting the ear was a sign of dominance, usually done to humiliate a defeated opponent. It was also used to punish naughty children and sometimes a nibble was considered a sign of affection. However, Ramaga meant it, it caused Red’s skin to crawl.

“There. That’s much better,” Ramaga smirked patting Red’s head.

She glared at him, ears twitching.

At that moment Colonel Penderre entered the room. “Ah, Ramaga. How set are you on dealing with the Sh’ra? I may have a counter offer lined up from the Rose Merchants Guild.”

Red felt a shiver run down her spine. The Rose Merchants Guild were slavers and she could only imagine what they’d want with her.

Mileena sensed her fear and smirked.

“You didn’t tell them everything did you,” Ramaga rumbled.

“Of course not!” Penderre assured him while folding his arms. “Just enough to interest them. They’d be easier to deal with than Sh’ra. They could provide us with financial backing and mercenaries.”

Ramaga swiveled an ear back.

Penderre pressed his case, “I can tell the thought of her as a slave intrigues you. Why don’t we discuss this a bit more?”

Ramaga tilted his head, “Fine. I’ll meet you outside.”

Penderre left as Mileena turned to Red, “They’re going to love you. Your red fur will make you an exotic item. We’ll handle the breaking for them.”

She strode around to behind Red, “Now listen to me carefully. You are a failure. You couldn’t stop your mother from being killed and you couldn’t stop the Sh’ra from taking your home. You couldn’t even keep yourself from being captured.”

Red tried not to listen as Mileena hit upon all of her insecurities.

“You’ve been here playing at being something you’re not, while your people suffer. You want to know why? Because you’re selfish. Perhaps this is just what you deserve. Maybe you don’t see it now, but soon you will. You will see just how pathetic you are.”

She tilted Red’s head so she was staring at the mirror. “Look at yourself. Your dignity will be stripped from you first. Your pride is a burden we will relieve you of.”

Red flattened her ears. She wanted to tell her to shut up.

“What does she feel,” Ramaga asked.

“Sadness, embarrassment, fear, guilt, and a sense of failure,” Mileena rattled off what she sensed.

The worst part for Red was she knew the blue skinned bitch wasn’t lying.

“Good,” Ramaga rumbled.

Mileena picked a syringe from the cart.

“No,” Ramaga ordered.

Mileena frowned, “But this will make her more docile and enhance her sense of touch.”

“No,” Ramaga said again. Then softening his tone, he added, “I want her fully aware. I want her to sit there and think about the situation she’s in. When we return, then you can give it to her.”

With that they left Red with only her reflection for company. An image of one who had been defeated.

**

Back in Chohe a young man with blonde hair, that was turning brown, strode down the street. He wore a vest and simplistic clothing. His name was Ben and, like Red, he also made his living as a hunting guide. He’d worked with Red several times out in the Badlands and he’d come to trust her more than anyone else. So when he saw her buggy obviously damaged and surrounded by sheriff’s deputies, he couldn’t control himself.

Ben broke through the police line and instantly was halted by a deputy.

“Sir, this is an investigation area,” the deputy, a dark skinned woman, growled.

“What’s happened? Is Red okay,” Ben asked.

“Sir, leave the area,” the deputy repeated.

“Stand down Sable,” a voice said.

Ben looked to see Sheriff Parsons himself, “Ben, I don’t suppose you’ve seen or heard from Red, have you?”

The young man shook his head. “No, last I heard she was taking a biologist out into the badlands. I didn’t even know she’d returned.”

The sheriff nodded, “Given I know you two are like siblings, you deserve to know what’s going on.”

The lawman led Ben a ways off from the scene. “She called me earlier today during that whole fire incident at the port. She was going to lend us a hand, but she never showed.”

“That doesn’t sound like Red,” Ben said.

“I know it doesn’t. Things only get stranger. We’ve got a trail of bodies between here and the port. All signs point to Red.”

Ben folded his arms, “You’re not suggesting she’s gone on some rampage are you?”

Parsons scowled, “Of course not! But what makes this strange is the ID of some of these bodies. Some were local crooks, but a lot were Altheatens. Altheatens wanted for crimes against sentients. Warcriminals. I don’t know what the connection between them and Red is.”

“Thrache,” Ben cursed and shook his head.

“My thoughts exactly. We’re pulling footage from some of the properties to see if we can learn more. Red’s sort of disappeared and I have no idea where she’s gone or been taken to. I don’t even know who we’re looking for.”

Ben drew himself up, “Deputize me.”

Parsons cocked an eyebrow, “What?”

“If Red’s in trouble I want to help. She’s saved me more times than I care to count.”

Parsons rubbed his brow, “Can’t do that. Come back in two years and then I can deputize you.”

Ben kicked at the sand, “What? Come on! I’ve helped you with search parties.”

“That’s different,”

“Sheriff! How is this different? My age shouldn’t be a factor! I’ve shot it out with bandits out there!”

“This isn’t about gunplay Ben! Go home. You’ve done enough.”

Ben scoffed, “You know me Sheriff. You know I’m not going to sit idly.”

“Yeah, I do know you. I should just take you into custody for your own protection, but I guess I’ll let you stick around.”

Ben grinned.

“If, you stay out of the way,” the sheriff warned.

“Of course.” He looked back to the buggy, his eyes settled on it, and a thought came to him. “I might just know how we can find her.”

Link to original: https://www.deviantart.com/mercenaryblade/art/Red-s-Tales-Ramaga-s-Wrath-PT4-643844345