Torin

All I see are eyes. Hate filled eyes. All around me.

They’ve all come to see the show. The freak. The monster.

“I’m innocent,” I scream, furiously. The chains dig into my wrists as I try to free myself. “I’m innocent!”

“Save your groveling for the next life,” one of the human lawyers bites.

I struggle in my seat, but they’ve got me locked up tight. My ankles are chained to the chair, and my massive chest is exposed. The humans treat me like an animal. All of this is a sham, a show trial.

I know what really happened.

I know I didn’t do it.

At least, I think I didn’t do it.

More than anything, I wish I could talk to the other guys, even if just for a moment. Egon, Kane, Marcas. My crew. If we could stick our heads together for a moment, we could figure out what really happened. All I remember is gas, and… blood.

So much blood.

An excited murmur passes through the crowd as the jury returns. “Order,” the judge says, banging his gavel. “Order!”

My heart pumps like mad, my palms sweaty. In the pit of stomach, I already know the dark, horrible truth. Yet, despite everything, I still hold onto a small sliver of hope. The universe can’t be this cruel. There has to be some justice in the world.

“The jury finds the defendant… guilty.”

Rapturous applause.

The pit in my stomach grows to the size of my fist. This simply can’t be.

“The sentence is death.”

Time itself seems to slow down. Did I hear that right? The death penalty? Humans were supposed to the more civilized of our two species — or at least, that’s what they told each other when they thought us Zorans were out of earshot. I turn around to face the crowd, but there’s no civility to be found there. Instead, I see people cheering. Clapping. Hollering.

My impending death is cause for celebration.

* * *

I wake up bathed in sweat and coated in total darkness.

It takes me a few seconds to get my bearings and realize the predicament I’m in. I’m in my cell. Of course. I’m always in my cell. It’s been weeks. Months. I can’t tell even tell time in here, in this darkness.

I’m isolated.

Alone.

The nighttime terrors are my only escape from the solitude and the blackness. At least my sentencing is a better dream than the attack itself. The smell of the blood, the sounds of human bone snapping…

I was so sure I was innocent. Yet, every night, my dreams become more and more vivid, like… like I’m starting to remember things. Am I simply making it all up? Am I losing my damn mind? I have no stimulation in here — it could very well all be hallucinations, figments of my imagination to fill the void.

It could also be my mind tapping into the truth.

And that thought scares the hell out of me. Even more so than my impending death. All my life I’ve striven to be virtuous, to be a model soldier. I would have gladly given my life for any one of those humans, even after what they’ve done to me. To be found guilty for their death… it is something I simply can’t accept.

I get up and stretch. My wrists and ankles are still bound in chains, even though I’m all alone. The guards still treat me like a beast, even in here. I do a thousand push-ups to kill the time, yet the exercise does nothing to slow down my racing mind. Is this the day they’ll kill me? What are they waiting for? I’m almost starting to look forward to it. Everything is better than this… waiting.

Footsteps in the distance. The ground vibrates ever so slightly. You have to concentrate hard to notice it, but it’s not like I have anything else to do. It must be feeding time. More human drek. I’ve contemplated going on a hunger strike, but the warden threatened to strap me to a bed and force-feed me if he had to. His eyes were cold and dead — he was dead serious.

Keys jangle in the guard’s hands. This is new. Unexpected.

Is today really the day? My heart starts racing instantly, my hands itching. My mind is split in two. On one hand I welcome it — the isolation is torture — but on the other hand I want to strangle the guards with my bare hands and fight my way out of here, clear my name, get to the bottom of this.

There’s still some fight left in me. It’s dwindling, but it’s there.

And it feels good.

Egon will be proud of me. Thinking about my comrades gives me strength. I can’t give up. Not now, not ever. They need me. I can’t let them down. I have to fight. I have to be strong. I have to endure. They are out there somewhere — I’m sure of that — and they’ll come for me.

Hurry up guys.

The door swings open. A bright flashlight is pointed right at my face, blinding me. I make out the silhouette of two human guards.

Today is not the day I die. The dark-haired warden would be here for that moment. And a camera crew too, probably. They’d make a spectacle out of it, I’m sure.

I raise my fists defensively. What are they planning? Do they want to rough me up a bit, take out their boredom on the chained Zoran?

“You’ve got a visitor,” one of the guards says.

What? A visitor?

“It reeks in here, though,” the other guard says. “Can’t have you stinking up the place. Not for a lady so fine.”

A lady?

“Hey, you’re right. Let’s get you washed up, big boy,” the first guard laughs.

They lead me down the hallway towards the showers. The halls are deserted — I haven’t even seen another inmate since I’ve arrived here.

“Undress,” the guard barks. According to his name-badge he is called Frank. He’s got beady little eyes, and a round, puffy face. Without that shock-stick in his hand, this man is nothing.

“I can’t,” I say, holding up my chained wrists. “Take these off.”

“I’ve got a better idea,” the other guard says. In the light I can see his name is Dick.

Fitting.

Dick pulls out a knife and takes a step towards me. He grabs my collar and cuts into my orange jumpsuit, tearing it down, stripping me completely naked.

I could wrap my hands around his neck right now and snap it. It would be laughably easy. Yet, this talk of a female visitor has gotten my attention. I’ll suffer their torments a moment longer…

“Good idea, Dick,” Frank says as he grabs a hose.

The moment the guard strips away my underwear, the two humans fall silent. Their smirks disappear. It seems my form has caused them some… jealousy.

Frank points the hose right at me and turns the handle, his face filled with anger and hatred as he douses me with freezing cold water. It’s like being enveloped by ice — and being kicked by a wild mob at the same time.

“Place your hands against the wall! That’s right, spread those legs, Zoran!”

They laugh amongst themselves as they hose me down like a dog. I don’t give them the pleasure of seeing me wince.

“All right, I think she’s waited long enough. Let’s go, big guy,” Frank says.

“A towel?” I ask.

“No, you’ll just make it dirty,” he laughs. He pokes me in the chest with his shock-stick, his finger hovering over the button. I know all too well what happens he presses that little red thing. An electric shock will pass through my frame, and it’ll feel like a thousand insects stinging me from the inside.

“Now get a move on.”

“As you wish,” I growl.

Human scum.

We go further down a hall and make several turns before they stop in front of a door. Frank unlocks it, and Dick shoves me inside. What I see in there makes my heart stop right in my chest.

A human female.

No, that description doesn’t even begin to do her justice. She is the most strikingly beautiful female I have ever laid my eyes upon — of every species imaginable. She rises up in surprise when I enter the room, giving me the opportunity to see her whole body.

And what a body it is.

Her black dress hugs her curves in all the right places. Her long legs are covered in stockings, drawing my attention to them. Already I can imagine those very same legs wrapped around my waist.

Her raven-black hair hangs loosely around her shoulders, and her dark brown eyes look at me with a mixture of fear, surprise and… kindness.

I’m used to fear. It’s all humans have ever shown me. I also get the surprise. Yet, I have never seen such… warmth in a human’s eyes before. This woman is special. I can feel that in every fiber of my being. It’s not something I can explain — it’s something I simply know.

Her brown eyes scan my tall, naked frame from top to bottom. Drops of water cling to my body as they glide their way down, and her gaze follows, from my broad shoulders, down to my washboard abs, down to my hardening erection. Yes, her eyes dart straight to my Zoran cock. I make no attempt to hide it. It would be impossible anyway. This is how the guards wanted to present me. So be it.

The female’s eyes widen and her pupils dilate when she sees my cock. Her cheeks grow redder and redder until they resemble ripe zalones. Her chest appears flushed as well, rising up and down with every heavy breath she takes. Just looking at it makes my cock grow harder, which in turns makes her eyes grow wider.

I can’t lie — it feels good to be looked at with something other than disgust for once. There’s a new sensation in her eyes now. Next to surprise I now see… lust.

I like it.

“W-what’s the meaning of this,” she stammers, finally tearing her eyes away from me.

Her voice is as beautiful as her curvy body.

“Your client,” Frank says, not even attempting to mask the disdain in his voice. “As requested, miss.”

The two guards laugh as the young female grows redder and redder. Now it’s pure anger on her face, a scowl that could kill.

“Get this man dressed!”

“Hell no,” Dick says. “You wanted to see him. Here he is. That’s why you came here, right? To gawk at the beast? What do you think?”

“Just go, okay?” she says, rubbing her temples. “Just leave.”

“We have to chain him up first,” Frank says. He pushes his shock-stick into my ribs. Reluctantly I sit down on the cold, metal chair. I was enjoying the human’s gaze a bit too much. I could have basked in it all day if I could. The guard attaches my chains to the metal chair, preventing me from standing.

“Why are you doing this?!” the human female asks. “Release him!”

I feel bad for her. It’s clear the guards enjoy tormenting her as much as they enjoy tormenting me. It’s written all over their faces — and I want to wipe it off there with my fists.

One day.

“Forget them,” I growl.

The female jumps back from my low voice. Her eyes are filled with fear for a single moment, but it is enough to disappoint me. I thought… I hoped she was different. Then again, I can’t imagine what must be going through her head — unexpectedly faced with a massive, naked Zoran warrior such as myself.

“Unchain him,” she tells the guards. “Right now. Right this very instant!”

“No,” they answer. “This is protocol.”

“He’s in my care now,’ she says. “I can’t do my work like this!”

Frank laughs right in her face. “You’re in Blackgate now, honey. You better leave that Earth-attitude of yours back home. The only one who makes the rule in here is the warden, you got that? Don’t push your luck. You’re lucky he let you land.”

“What did you say to me?” she says, her brown eyes now filled with righteous fury. I can’t help but smirk. She’s got fire inside of her, this one. She jabs her finger into the guard’s chest. “You’re going to give me those keys right now or I’m going to report you,” she hisses.

“To whom? This ain’t Earth, honey. About time you realize that.”

She snags the keys from Frank’s belt. He immediately reaches for his shock-stick and raises it like he’s about to strike her, but I’m glad to see the other guard grab Frank’s wrist. If he laid a finger on her I would have had to kill him, and that would look bad on my record, I’m sure.

“Forget about her,” the other guard says. “She’s not worth the trouble. If she wants to get herself killed, that’s her problem.”

They leave in a huff, throwing the door shut behind them. The lock turns. We are, finally, alone.

The human female returns to her seat to gather her bearings. She fixes her hair, bur her cheeks remain flushed.

“I’m terribly sorry,” she says. “I had no idea they’d do… this.”

“It’s not your fault,” I answer. “Who are you?”

“Of course,” she admonishes herself. “I haven’t even introduced myself! Sorry, I’m just, uhm, distracted.”

I suppress a smirk. Yeah you are.

“I’m Nora Baker, and I’m your attorney. You appealed your sentence, and it is my job to represent you. It’s nice to finally meet you, Torin, though I wish it would have been under better circumstances.”

She extends her hand towards me.

I gesture at my chains. “Can’t really return that handshake,” I say.

She slaps her forehead with her extended hand. “Of course,” she says. “Of course. I’m sorry. I’m making such a fool of myself.”

“You’re not,” I say. “You stood up to the guards. That was nice of you. No one’s done that for me.”

“Those bozos?” she laughs. “They’re the worst. I can’t believe they did this to you. And me.”

“They’ve only made a fool of themselves as far as I’m concerned,” I say. “I have nothing to be ashamed of.”

“You sure don’t,” she whispers under her breath, but loud enough for me to hear. “Ahem. Do you want me to remove your chains?”

“Do you trust me enough for that?” I counter.

“I don’t know. Should I trust you?”

“If you’re going to be my lawyer and try and get me out of here… then yes, you should.”

“Then I trust you,” she says. “If only to spite every man who tells me not to.”

“I didn’t think they’d actually send someone, you know. I figured I was done for.”

“Why is that?”

“What do you mean?” I ask. “It’s been a set-up from the start. Surely you can see that.”

“So you’re innocent?” she asks.

“I am.”

“The case against you is watertight, you know.”

“Then why are you here?”

She looks at me — and I mean, really looks at me. Like I’m actually there. Like I’m a person. Not just a curiosity, a monster, a thing. But as a living being.

“I know what I did and didn’t do,” I growl. “I’m innocent.”

“I believe you,” Nora says. She gets up and walks to me, her heels clicking on the concrete floor. She fiddles with the lock on my wrist, and her perfume surrounds me. For a moment I feel dizzy. I haven’t smelled anything so good, so pure, so warm in ages. It reminds me of better times.

I turn my head ever so slightly, but it’s enough to see right down her dress. Her full breasts are on full display, and instantly my cock grows hard. My fingers itch to touch them, but I resist — barely so.

Her brown eyes keep darting towards my crotch, nervously eying my growing erection.

“There,” she says, her voice shaking as my hands are freed for the first time in months. I move my wrists around gratefully. My skin is red and agitated where the cuffs has cut into it.

“Should I… should I do your ankles too?” She asks, her voice barely a whisper.

I look up at her. “Yes.”

She squats down on her heels in front of me ever so slowly, her eyes pointed down towards the floor, while I spread my legs wide to make the lock as accessible as possible for her. She’s only a foot away now from my throbbing erection. All I have to do is reach out, cradle her neck in my hands and guide the head of my cock between those hot lips of hers.

It would be a heavenly release. To say I’m pent-up is the understatement of the century. I’ve been in solitude for months without any form of release. Just feeling the tips of her fingers brush against my ankles is enough to make heavy drops of pre-cum drip down the length of my cock.

The chains fall to the ground with a clatter, breaking the spell. “There,” she says. Nora stands up and the moment is over.

Or is it?

My legs are still spread, my erection standing upright. Glistening. Quivering.

If this human female is here to help me… well, I know how she could really help me. The appeal is senseless. The Federation have made their decision. I’m their fall guy for reasons I don’t fully comprehend.

No, if she wants to help me out, she should lose that black dress. She should wrap those thick thighs of her around my waist, and she should let me bury every inch of my hard cock deep inside of her.

Now that would be helping.

No. Is this how you treat the first human who has shown you the most basic form of kindness? You expose your towering erection to her? You expect her to drop to her knees and worship every inch of you with her tongue? Egon would be ashamed.

I can’t stop myself. The way she makes me feel is incredible, and irresistible. Besides, it’s not like I’ve done anything wrong.

Not yet, anyway.

I barely moved a muscle. If this is anyone’s fault it’s the guards.

“I’m sorry,” I growl “I’ve been in isolation for… I have no idea how long it’s been.”

“It’s okay,” she says, her voice barely a whisper. She’s now staring unabashedly at my quivering cock.

“The guards did this,” she says. “Not you or me.”

“Right,” I answer.

The guards didn’t make me this hard though.

“I’m going to stand up and stretch now, if you don’t mind.”

“Go right ahead,” she says as she backs away.

I stand up slowly, not wanting to frighten her with any sudden moves. I close my eyes, spread my arms above my head and stretch like I’ve never stretched before. It feels fantastic.

When I open my eyes again she is back in her seat, her eyes on the page as she scribbles something on a piece of paper.

“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” I tell her as I stretch. “It’s not my intention.”

“Not at all,” she says, though she doesn’t dare to glance up. “Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”

“Go ahead,” I say.

I make full use of temporary freedom and stretch as much as I can. I make sure to turn my back towards the curvy human female, so that she is free to look at me if she so wishes.

This sure beats sitting in isolation, that’s for damn sure. This talk can last all day for all I care.

“So they keep you in isolation?”

“Yes,” I answer.

“For how long?”

I can’t help but laugh. “I don’t have a calendar in there so I’m not sure.”

“What do you mean?”

I turn around and raise an eyebrow. “Exactly what I just said.”

“You’re in there… all day?”

“Twenty-four seven… or how long days are here on this planet. I have no idea.”

She rests her chin on her hand, her brow furrowed. It looks damn adorable.

“Do you mind, uhm, sitting down?” Nora asks. “It’s hard to focus with… you know…”

My cock in your sight?

“Ah. Sure.”

I’d rather feel her tongue than the cold, metal chair on my balls, but I’ll endure it. For her.

“Tell me about your day. How do they treat you in here?”

I explain to her what an average day for me looks like. I tell her about the way the human guards treat me, how they wake me up at night, how they douse me with cold water, how they play loud music just to drive me insane.

She listens to me with growing horror. “You can’t be serious,” she breathes.

“Ask them yourself,” I say, nodding at the door. “I think they’re proud of it, too.”

The human female scribbles notes furiously. “That’s completely unconstitutional and inhumane,” she frets.

“I’m not exactly human,” I smirk.

“No, you’re not,” she says with red cheeks. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t have the same rights as humans do. The Federation’s laws still apply here, and despite what you’re accused or convicted of, they have no right to treat you like this. I will take this straight to the warden, you have my word, Torin.”

I shrug. It’s fun to see the human so worked up. Not that it matters much. I have no illusions that she will free me or change my situation. The only one who can save me is Egon.

“It won’t do you much good. I met that guy. He’s not… he’s not all there.”

She laughs. “Anik Onyx is, yes he’s, uhm, well, special. I’ll do my best. And if he won’t listen, I’ll take it even higher. I won’t stand for this.”

“What about my case?” I ask.

She won’t free me, but if she can buy me some time… time is all I need.

That, and a Zoran strike force.

“Be honest with me. I don’t want any false hope,” I add.

She sighs deeply. “To be honest, Torin, I… I don’t know. It doesn’t look good.”

There’s a loud knock on the door. “You two lovebirds done yet?!” one of the guards asks derisively.

Nora bites her bottom lip. “I think that’s my cue.”

I extend my hand towards Nora. I don’t expect to ever see the human female again, but it was a nice diversion. “Thank you for trying,” I say. “You’re the only human who has done their best for me.”

She shakes my hand, and a shock passes right through my frame. For a second, I feel dizzy, and my cock becomes rock-hard in an instant — it’s a damn miracle it hasn’t flipped the table yet. Every inch of me is telling me to pull her close, to kiss her, to taste her, to make her mine, to enjoy this while I still can…

But I resist my animalistic urges. And as I watch her hips sway as she walks towards the door, I wonder if that will be the biggest regret of my life.