[PRP] Belly of the Beast

[Natsuko-neko]

This wasn't good, wasn't good at all. Xander watched when they took Lore while trying to keep his worry from showing. Seemed like they were about to get an example of just how 'fine' they would be by the time rescue came. It seemed like forever before the brought him back and it was clear he had been pretty banged up. He got to his feet but Tambrey was the one to go to the Exec since he had paused at the threat the Galactic had given.

He looked from Lore to the other Rockets then to the Galactic's as he thought. How would they all respond to torture? Lore attempted humor still but that didn't mean any of the rest of them would be the same way. How would they individually stand what ever the Galactic's thew at them? Psyching your self up could only do so much after all and it was doubtful any of them except maybe Lore had any sort of training against it.

Xander sighed slightly though and shook those thoughts away just in time for Hayes and Aulus to get called out, or rather Hayes was called and Aulus was steadfast loyal. That at least got a twitch of the lips type of smile but it was quick to disappear and worry replaced that moment. Once two Rockets were escorted out he looked over at Lore, Tambrey and Jerome.  

[Gwennythe]

'No you're not...' Tambrey thought as Lore sat. At least he wasn't going to fall over though.
It would have been nice to be able to appreciate the humour a little more, but given the circumstance it was mostly just worrying. What if because of those remarks they did decide to haul him off again; at least when the team was all together and less injured they might have a better morale, and a better chance of coming up with some plan, despite the terrible situation they happened to be in.

The guard chose Hayes to go next... They were moving down the ranks? That would mean they knew their ranks after all. Tambrey bit her lip as she watched the exchange; the idea that they knew ranks was very frightening, but she worried too for Hayes. After Lore had come back in the state that he had, they /knew/ the sort of thing he'd be going for.
And now Aulus was going to go too...
She wasn't actually too surprised by her sensei's reaction; he was, quite obviously, a fighter and he and Hayes were clearly good friends. The grunt had mixed emotions about this though- now two of the team were being taken, one high ranking, one she'd been getting to know as a teacher. She was proud that Aulus was like that, maybe glad that if the two were together they'd have each other's support, but all of that was getting overshadowed by the dread of the situation and the fact that, of course, they knew what would happen now.
Tambrey would have liked to have said something encouraging, give some sort of meaningful gesture or... anything to signal... Well she wasn't even sure; it would have been better than what she found herself doing though.
She stood there, watching, frustrated at being unable to do anything without being shot... or risking someone else being shot.

"..Frak." She watched the door even after the pair were gone.  

[Loreven]

Lore watched the two men as they were escorted away. He was trying to keep up a brave face, but it was pretty apparent he didn't wish what he'd just gone through on anyone. Watching them take their teammates left him feeling strangely helpless.

"..s'gonna be alright. They only took me back there to pretty me up for some pictures to send Luce... n'ask me a few questions... s'probably gonna make the cavalry arrive twice as fast.."

Despite his attempt at sounding upbeat he leaned against Tambrey, looking tired and messy.  

[Tinnunculus]

An indefinite amount of time passed in the windowless space before the Galactics posted outside the Rockets' cell shifted in response to something out of sight. It turned out to be the pair of guards from before, plus Hayes and Aulus.

On the first glance the blond didn't have any additional injuries or fresh blood, but he moved with his head hung low and steps stumbling.

"Back in there." The male guard made a shooing motion with his gun, having little patience for their slow pace.  

[Natsuko-neko]

Lore's words weren't terribly reassuring seeing the state of him. But at least the man tried anyway Xander supposed. Finally after what felt like forever Hayes and Aulus were brought back. The blond looked them over with a worried look and too a step closer to the bars to help them should they need it.  

[Loreven]

When the other Rockets returned Lore pushed himself to sit up. The bruises on his face had set in and one eye had swollen shut, but he was looking more alert.

"Hey guys..." He offered a small smile, "Y'alright..?"
 

[TawnyAngel]

It was quite obvious that Aulus had been crying. A lot. His face was pale too and though he seemed unhurt he moved at the same pace as Hayes, red eyes fixed firmly on the blond. On reaching the cell he stepped inside quickly, the snarls he had shown when they were dragged out a world away from the pained expression that spread across he face as he turned back to the door and looked at Hayes. With not a word or a glance for his comrades already in the cell he hovered just inside the door, posed to catch his partner if he tripped.  

[Gwennythe]

The cavalry were probably, Tambrey thought, days away. If they could find them, it might even only be through those pictures that Lore had mentioned; that's how she imagined it going anyway.

She wasn't going to mention it though, condensing the thought into the flash of an expression. One she suppressed as Lore leaned on her.
The tiredness, the mess... It just added up to a picture of what he'd endured- something she didn't want to dwell on as Hayes and Aulus remained out there- and she felt like she ought to... suggest something.
Not sleep though; that likely wouldn't be such a good idea.

"... Then we ought to keep ourselves ready for when they come. Focused, ready to go, right? For when..." She paused- the Galactics wouldn't know names and she didn't want to give them any. "When the other two get back and when the 'cavalry' arrives." How to do that? Well, here she hoped for input.

As the two were returned she peered worriedly at the door; no injuries, no new blood- was that encouraging or..? No. No it was entirely the opposite for a reason she couldn't quite place. Perhaps the body language.
Tambrey felt herself sink a little as they were able to see them both a little better; Aulus state was more shocking than Hayes'. It gave her pause on her initial instinct to stand and help.

She sat into a crouch, hovering between remaining there, near Lore or getting up to move to the door like Xander had.  

[Tinnunculus]

Hayes didn't seem fully cognizant of the other Rockets in the area, or the area itself; hemissed the door and collided with the bars just to its left. "Wrong way, Skywalker," the guard smirked as the blond shook his head dazedly and got through the door this time. It clanged shut and locked behind the two returning Rockets.

Hayes half-walked, half-fell into Aulus. He looked drained; this close to, a few small black marks were visible on his arms under the dried blood.

"Yeah," he mumbled, presumably to Lore.  

[Loreven]

Lore's smile faded as he watched Hayes enter the cell. "What did they do to him?" Whatever Hayes had endured was clearly different than what Lore'd been through. Seeing Tambrey waffling between staying with him and helping the others, he gave her an encouraging nod to join them.  

[TawnyAngel]

Aulus made a slightly choked noise when his partner slumped into him, catching the slighter man carefully in his arms. He was alive. He was hurt, and it was all his fault; he should have told her something! He didn't reply to Lore's question he didn't know how to say that Hayes had been electrocuted again and again and all because of him. Avoiding the eyes of the others he moved to a corner of the cell and sat down, easing Hayes to the floor beside him and holding him close, very conscious to be gentle because Gods he didn't know where he might be hurt. Closing his eyes and repressing a sob he tried to wish everything away, to wish that he was a better and stronger person who would have known what to do to make them stop hurting his friend.

"I'm so sorry."  

[Gwennythe]

Well. That was kind of like an order? Sort of... Lore was an Exec' after all.
It wasn't like they were going anywhere- they were all together in the cell now anyway. Tambrey stood with a slight nod back, paused for just a second after she did, then moved toward the returnees and the door.

"What.. did they do?" She found herself asking, watching as Hayes sort of... fell into the room after meeting the bars first.
She hovered, moved forward to help and then stepped halfway back as Aulus helped Hayes down and sat with him.
She opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it and closed it again, though she didn't take her eyes off the pair, perhaps looking for some clearer detail of what had happened.  

[Loreven]

Lore watched, brow furrowed. As much as he liked to keep the mood positive, there was nothing to joke about here. The situation kept getting grimmer.  

[Tinnunculus]

Hayes was easy to manipulate; he moved more like a life-sized figure than a human with control over his own limbs, staggering and sliding rather than sinking smoothly into a sit. Bits of dry blood flecked off on Aulus as the programmer's bangs brushed down his shirt.

"'d they tell you you c'ld help me?" he mumbled once their guards had gone.  

[Natsuko-neko]

It was clear that what ever had happened had a deep impact on the two and like Tambrey, Xander hovered. He was torn between wanting to help in some way but not knowing how and letting Aulus have his space with Hayes. Especially after the dazed and hurt blond talked. It really wouldn't be a surprise if they used psychological warfare like that question implied but it added to the steady growing hate Xander was starting to have for Galactic.