Leech had a firm grip around both of his wrists and the seemingly now insane Plasia had him by the ankles, and the two of them carried him like a prized pig through the corridors of the dungeon. Diego didn't fight back, or try to resist; rather he tried to stay calm and gather his thoughts, reserving his energy for later on - he had a feeling he'd be needing it.
As far as he could tell, Plasia seemed to have been telling the truth regarding the Slaves. Monochrome figures loitered about the rooms, staring in awe and desperation at the aliens as they passed. They moved fast; as he was carried down the dungeon corridors, he looked around frantically, trying to memorise where we was going, and keeping an eye out for any potential markers he could use to navigate his way back; He didn't know what fate awaited him at Leech's hands, but there was no way it was good, and there was no way he was sticking around to find out.
He caught a glimpse of a fox-man, hiding in a cluttered storage room. The two briefly made eye contact before Diego was hauled deeper into the dungeon.
Before too long, he was carried through a heavily armoured door and into a laboratory, filled to the brim with operating tables, cabinets full of tools, and ominous-looking vials in rattling racks. The cool, grey, stone flooring blended with the stainless steel equipment to create a very sterile and rather sinister looking room. There were multiple doorways branching off this main room, most were too gloomy for Diego to see where they led, although the one directly ahead of him had pipes running across the ceiling that shook occasionally. There was a mechanical hum in the background, quiet but steady. The laboratory was lit by cold fluorescent overhead lights, and some more intense, yellow lamps hanging over the desks.
They dumped him onto his feet and Plasia roughly shoved her fingers into his mouth, prying his maw open uncomfortably. Before Diego even had a chance to wonder what was going on, Leech had grabbed a series of swabs, from a metal desk fixed firmly to the wall, and placed them into his mouth. Plasia retracted her fingers from his maw and began to circle around him menacingly as Leech bagged the swabs, and turned back to the desk.
"What the fuck was that for?!" Diego blurted out, spitting onto the floor, eyes darting between Plasia, who was staring intently at him as she paced, and at Leech, which was currently draped in a long lab coat, and facing away from his person.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm still researching our condition, and I need more samples from Marks to get more information." Leech's tone was stern but matter-of-fact, and she didn't even turn around, instead she continued to run her fingers over the many medical instruments before her.
"Might I suggest running cell cultures overnight using a greater range of samples?" A meek voice from the other end of the room called out. "The previous batches from saliva weren't very good -"
"NO YOU MAY NOT!" Leech grabbed a scalpel from her desk and threw it across the room with astonishing force. It impacted with a loud twang and narrowly missed a timber wolf man tied to the wall with leather restraints, he looked like he was on a giant wooden target and there were several sharp looking instruments deeply embedded in the wood. "SHUT YOUR FACE, VENTER! One more suggestion out of you today and I'll pulverise you, you speak only when you are spoken to!" Leech growled in frustration, then grabbed another scalpel and pointed it at him. "It's not a bad idea though."
In one sleek motion Leech spun around, and suddenly the silver glint of the scalpel was millimetres away from Diego's face. She held the handle firmly with two fingers, a thoughtful twitch in her lips as she pondered what cuts she should make. Her face twisted as she imagined, purely for science of course.
"NO! NO HURT HIM, NOT LIKE THIS!" Plasia suddenly yelled out, tugging on Leech's arm firmly. The giant alien seemed taken-aback for a moment, her thoughts shattered, however she quickly regained composure. As she ran her eyes up and down the blue alien, an evil grin spread over her face.
"Interesting. You've never been so forthright with me before, Plasia." Her head whipped back to the lizard, who was still in awe-struck terror in what was unfolding before him. He felt Leech's toxic stare, those piercing emerald eyes glaring at him. "I don't know if I should be impressed or concerned by you, lizard. You've managed to gain the hopeless affection of both Seeth and Plasia. And, judging by how she's been talking about you, quite possibly Moltezz too. Plasia is right though, I shouldn't just cut a lump off you, I can't imagine Seeth would be too happy with me, spoiling her prize like that."
"Is that what I am here? A prize?" Can I get out of here? Can I overpower her? Maybe with my psyonics I'll stand half a chance, but then Plasia might get hurt... God I wish I had my sword.
"Yes. Yes you are. You're a fuck toy for us." Leech stated flatly.
He frowned and prepared a response, but Leech cut him off.
"Oh come on, Diego." She continued to wave the scalpel around as she spoke and began to pace around her lab. Plasia continued to circle her male, but was also watching Leech's motions carefully. "You're going to have an amazing life here. It can't have passed over your mind or your genitals how attractive we are. And how attractive you are. Seeth is in absolute thrall of you! You're practically her boyfriend at this point! Ha!" She scoffed. "Imagine that, Diego. Would it really be so bad? Spending the rest of your days being ravaged by alien beauties you clearly find attractive? I can smell the arousal on you even now, you're trying desperately not to look at my figure, at Plasia's curves... You're hiding it as best you can, but you're an animal, and your instincts are kicking in hard. You like us. You try to resist as much as you want, but I know you've thought about it... About staying with us... I promise you, we'll make you feel so much more than you ever thought was possible... Imagine the three of us together... Touching, kissing, breeding, fuckin-"
"-I've been thinking a lot about the people who aren't immune to your... corruption. Doesn't seem very fair to them." Diego folded his arms, breathing sharply through his nose.
"Why doesn't it?" Leech scolded him teasingly, pressing her fingers against the steel blade. "We've liberated them from their monotony, to join them together into something greater... something more fun, more pleasurable."
"You've fucking killed them!" Diego yelled back in defiance. Hair standing on end, he took a step towards Leech as his anger swelled. "Those Slaves, Plasia said there's no helping them, no turning them back!"
Leech nodded absent-mindedly, her attention still on the blade in her hands, although she did cast a quick glance up at the pipes on the ceiling above her, seemingly uninterested in Diego's rant.
"So you admit it! You've killed everything about these people that once made them people! Destroyed their personalities, taken their lives?! They're just walking shells! It's murder, Leech! No, it's worse! You parade their bodies around and use them to corrupt others!"
"Hmm... Talk like that really gets me off... keep going, lizard..." A cruel, evil smile curled over her plump lips and she flung the scalpel at the wolf on the other side of the room again, missing his head by only a few inches and thumping into a wooden beam.
"Y-You're sick. You could just pick a Mark, settle down and live a normal life! Why are you doing this!?"
"Why shouldn't I? The universe wasn't fair to me and Seeth when we were corrupted... I was the top of my class at university, Diego, I was going to be an industry leading medical professional. I had a life full of potential and opportunity laid out in front of me, and it was all taken away. One year ago, our lives were completely and irrevocably changed, and that was just our burden to bear. I don't owe anyone anything. In fact, I think I'm due to dish out some revenge." Leech's eyes narrowed intensely.
"The universe isn't fair, Leech, believe me, I know. But do you really think this is the right thing to do? Build some sort of wretched faction on this affliction you have? Come on! You must be better than that!" Diego pleaded with her, trying to get her to see some sense.
"I really couldn't give two shakes of a shit if it's the right thing to do. It's what I want to do. Fuck everyone else, literally! VENTER!" Leech suddenly yelled, shaking the room slightly.
"Y-Yes, Leech?" The timber wolf in the background responded shakily.
"Do you think this male's semen sample would do for a culture?"
"Umm, I'd say i-it's worth a go!"
Diego's eyes narrowed. He did not like where this conversation was going.
"PLASIA! Go grab that pack I showed you earlier." Leech's voice echoed around the room, and with those words, Plasia ran across the lab, giggling maniacally and disappearing into one of the doorways.
"Y-You can't just..." No, this can't be happening.
"Oh, it IS happening. You don't seem to understand your importance here, lizard. We're on the precipice of something great here... You don't need to be scared, just be... open minded!" She began to walk towards him, staring down on his body with an aching hunger that chipped away at her psyche. "Now, are you going to do this the easy way, or the hard way?"
*
Oxyi was frozen, her voice trapped in her throat, as the entire city became aware of her existence. The Slaves, who had previously wandered the streets, were now moving towards her building in full sprint, the street-lights shaking as they approached.
The feline from earlier was fast on the scene and went straight for the front door of the building. Although it was locked and bolted shut, she pulled hard at the handle and the woodwork cracked with little effort. With a flick of her fingers, a dozen Slaves grabbed at the splintered wood with their fleshy fingers and pulled.
Two floors above, Oxyi dashed about her flat, her every limb quaking with fear. She kicked her little generator awake and the living room lights flickered on - there was no point fighting blind.
A nervous trigger finger, alone in a dead city, no friends by her side, and so far, whith no success to speak of in her efforts to thwart these things, Oxyi waited.
Jeez, how did it come to this... feels like only a few days ago me and Bream were talking about finally going on our crazy 'around the galaxy in eighty days' trip... I was finally gonna start putting some money together... Lost plans now.
It sounded like an army was tearing at the building's front door, ripping chunks of wood with their bare hands.
She kicked herself, hard.
