Brouge, 2050 Standard Time
Commander Hurricane weighed her options in her head as she pondered the creature’s previous promise of violence against her subordinate. One option was that she could call its bluff by just signaling for the legionaries to come through the door in order to intimidate it and pray to the gods that it saw its efforts were futile and surrendered. Another was that she could attempt to subdue it herself and hope that her speed and reflexes allowed her to free Firestorm before it decided to act upon its words. The third option was to try and talk it down.
While she doubted the strange male would put up much of a fight, she knew that it was afraid and would probably not act rationally. So options one and two were off the table, she didn’t want this thing to freak out and kill one of her legionaries if she could help it. So, to her disdain, this left trying to get the thing to see reason and give itself up.
She slowly took one step back, looked the creature dead in the eyes, and spoke sternly and clearly. “I promise you that if you stop now and come quietly, no harm will come to you.” She took a step forward and gestured passively with her fore hoof. “Just let her go and relinquish your weapon, let’s stop this before it gets messy.”
Other than tightening its hold on Firestorm and moving the strange blade a bit closer to her, it made no move to comply with her wishes. So, she decided to change tactics. She dropped her passive stance and took a step forward; her voice became a harsher, gaining an authoritarian edge.
“I have a ten well-armed and expertly trained legionaries behind this door that are just waiting for my call to come in here and deal with you.” Her eyes narrowed and her voice took on a slight mocking edge. “So why don’t you be a good little colt and put her down before we are forced to put you down, savvy?
The creature shifted uneasily before answering. “I want two things before I agree to any terms,” It spoke with a deep and unwavering tone, “One: I want all of my equipment back and Two: I am sure now that yall have some kind of military organization, so I want to speak with your commanding officer. If I’m going to hash anything out it’ll be with him.” Its eyebrows rose and it put on a shit-eating smirk. “So why don’t YOU be a good lackey and go fetch him for me.”
Firestorm gasped at the creature’s audacity as Hurricane flared her wings aggressively and took another step forward. Snorting angrily, she barked, “I am the commanding officer here and I will not be talked down to by some hairless ape!”
“I ain’t an ape you dumb broad!” It shot back, “I’m a human.”
“I don’t care what you are!” Hurricane roared, all thoughts of passively reasoning with the ‘human’ were gone, “You will drop your weapon as well as my legionnaire and surrender yourself, or you WILL suffer the consequences!”
“Well I already got one of my demands.” It replied while taking a step back, readjusting its grip on Firestorm while moving. “Just go get my stuff and then I’ll let her go.”
“There is no way in Tartarus that I’m going to do that, when I don’t know what half of them do or what your purpose here even is.” Hurricane spat out through gritted teeth.
“Alright, I guess I can understand where you are coming from, “It mumbled. Its gaze left Hurricane for the moment and stared at the door, clearly pondering something, before turning back to give her a level stare. “How about as a measure of good faith you at least go get my fatigues, and my boots, and then I will let her go.”
“And what, pray tell are those.” Hurricane shot back, narrowing her eyes.
“You got to be freaking kidding me. Really? You don’t know what boots are?” It then breathed out a long and exasperated sigh before continuing. “The boots are the black, L shaped things with laces that will cover my feet. The fatigues are the black clothes that will cover my upper torso and my legs. Oh, and grab by socks too they’re the black tube things that go on my feet under the boots.”
“And why should I give you those?”
The “human” let out an annoyed huff through his nose. “ Cause I’d rather not be walking around in my fucking birthday suit” it paused for a moment seemingly thinking about what it just said. “It’s a cultural thing; It’s illegal to be in public without clothing, hell I’d even be content if you just gave me my skivies. So, I would be a lot calmer in conversing with you if I had them; and believe me, you want me calm.”
Hurricane’s eyes narrowed as she glared at the human before sighing. “I will agree to your terms.” She then wheeled her head around and roared, “LANCE POINT! Get your flank in here!”
Hurricane turned to face the human once more as she heard the door to the cell creak open. Lance point silently walked over and stood at her side never breaking eye contact with the human as she went.
“Lace Point, go retrieve our “guest’s” clothes.”
Lance Point turned to look at her with a confused and angry expression before answering. “You want me to do what now, Ma’am?!”
The Commander wheeled around fury evident on her face. “I gave you a bucking order private.” She roared, “You have 30 seconds to get the ape’s clothes before I strap you to a post and flog you within an inch of your life for disobeying a direct order!”
Lance Point immediately snapped to attention then bolted out of the room. Hurricane then turned back to the human to see an amused grin plastered to its face.
“Damn chica,” It laughed, “Blowing past the paper fucking and straight to the corporal punishment, I like that.”
Hurricane ground her teeth in frustration. She didn’t know what the hay it just said, but she was certain it was another jab at her.
The next few minutes passed in tense silence. Neither Hurricane nor the human broke eye contact, before the cell door opened once again.
Lance point walked to the center of the room before depositing the items of clothing on the ground. She then quickly backed up and stood at attention beside the Commander.
Hurricane nodded to her before turning her steely gaze back on the human. “Now here is how this is going to work. You are going to drop my legionnaire and relinquish your weapon. We are then going to walk out this door and lock you back in here until I can figure out what to do with you. On my honor as Commander of the 2nd Division you will not be harmed. Is this agreeable?”
The human eyed her with suspicion before rolling its eyes answering. “I can’t believe I’m fucking doing this but ok, I’ll comply.”
The strange orange blade on its forelimb retracted and disappeared completely with a quiet metallic click, causing all three legionnaire's ears to flick in irritation at the strange noise. It then kneeled down and placed Firestorm back onto her four hooves and released her neck from its powerful embrace.
Fire Storm immediately walked to her commander’s side and began to glare at the human with as much malice as possible.
“Now,” Hurricane stated neutrally, “surrender the blade and we can move on.”
“Sorry chica, but that’s kind of impossible, “the human shrugged nonchalantly, “Its neurologically attached to my body. That would be like me asking you to remove your wings. Possible but extremely painful, I would imagine.”
Hurricane tried to crush the wince that came with the human describing something THAT painful. She doubted that it would be that bad for the human to remove its weapon, but she was not going to question it… yet. That was for another time.
She nodded her head towards Firestorm and Lance Point who took it as their cue to leave, slowly backing away till they were at the door, they then turned around and exited the cell.
The Commander then turned around and began walking towards the door. “I will return shortly, we have many things to ‘discuss’.”
“I’ll be here, waiting with bells on.” The human shot back. It then turned its eyes down cast and mumble barley loud enough for Hurricane to hear. “It’s not like I have much of a fucking choice.”
“Aye,” Hurricane agreed as she walked towards the door, opening it and then turning her head back to the human before giving him narrow stare, “You don’t.” She then left, closing and bolting the door behind her, leaving the human to his thoughts.