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Try as Rabbit might, she could not keep her head up any longer. It dipped forward, chin briefly grazing chest, as fatigue overwhelmed her. Her eyes burned and watered as they closed for the first time in a very long time. The burning was the kind of sting that felt good after so many other bad hurts. A welcome relief which would not last long. The all too familiar whisking sound followed almost immediately. She knew it would. It had every time before. She responded on instinct. Her body went ridged in preparation for the coming strike.

"NO SLEEPING!"

Rabbit's body tried to flinch back. Move away from the oncoming pain. But, she was tied to tightly in place. Kneeling on the marble floor, her wrists were fastened together by the metal bands. One of the bad men used his belt and tie to lash her ankles together and pull her wrists snug to them. The taunt force tugged her shoulders down and painfully arched her back. There was some kind of bolt in the floor that the man fastened her restraints to. As she struggled once more against her bonds, the thin leather strap landed hard across her naked chest. She couldn't keep her cry silent.

"RORY!"

"Please," Rory's dry throat made her voice strain with the plea, "she's done nothing wrong. She's never been to Old Earth. Stop torturing her. Please, spare her for honor's sake if nothing else."

Colonel McShane laughed. It was a piercing. Rabbit cringed at the sound of him. In spite of her fear, she decided he was even more frightening with her eyes closed. She dared to open her exhausted eyes to face the men she hated and for a chance to see the woman she loved. Perhaps, she thought, if she could look at Rory for just a few more minutes she might forget how much her body hurt.

The Lieutenant laid the leather down hard on Rabbit again as he screamed, "Honor? What do you know about the word? You're a stinking Coward. You ran out when things got a little rough. Now, you're whining to any bunch of fag, hippie, lazy liberal, asshole, shits about how bad things are for you. And do you know what they're doing?" He struck Rabbit as he asked the question.

"They're squeezing the Lieutenant's balls, in case you hadn't guessed," McShane sneered. "You might think he's not taking it well but I assure you, he is. When we first discussed this mission, he wanted to disembowel you."

Rabbit didn't understand what the bad man meant. She only knew it wasn't good. She didn't like either man but the man sitting across from Rory was the worst. There was a table between their chairs but he was still too close to her lover for her liking. He hadn't hit Rory, yet. He did, however, make her cry with his words over and over again. And, then there were the papers he kept pushing at her. Rory would listen and listen and hang her head and say she was sorry to Rabbit. Then the fat, sweaty bad man would hit Rabbit. She didn't like him either. Now, that she had thought about it she decided they were both the worst.

"We've been over this a hundred times," the Lieutenant panted as he brought the leather strap down on Rabbit's breasts again. "Sign the God Damn papers!"

"STOP HITTING HER!" Rory screamed and made a frenzied struggle against the restraints holding her to the chair. "You muther fuckin' son of a piss bucket drinking, asshole kissing bitch in heat!"

Colonel McShane let out a hoot of a laugh, "Too bad we're not recording this interrogation! I'd like to quote her at the Senate subcommittee investigation next week."

"Colonel!" The Lieutenant cautioned as he turned his back to Rabbit. "We're not here to discuss national politics with the Coward."

Rabbit watched as both men glared at each other. She saw Rory respond quickly by sitting up a bit straighter in her chair. A small grin traced across Rory's features before being carefully hidden behind a furrowed brow.

"Is the Senate asking about casualties in your field command, Colonel? Or are they finally starting to worry about an endless war?" Rory asked with an air of casual concern.

"Neither," McShane giggled, "they're exploring reports…,"

"Colonel!" The Lieutenant warned.

"…, of improper sexual conduct with military prisoners by defense counsel and…," he continued.

"Don't say it!" The Lieutenant hissed.

"…prosecutors." McShane winked as he announced the complaint which sent the Lieutenant and him racing across a galaxy.

"FUCKER!" The Lieutenant turned back to Rabbit and began to whip mercilessly at her breasts and face.

Rabbit cried out. The searing agony landing across her chest was to much to endure in silence.

"STOP!" Rory screamed. "Stop. I'll sign my confession. Just stop hurting her. Stop!"

"You're ready to sign the papers?" McShane asked as he waved the Lieutenant off the relentless beating.

Rory sighed, "I'll sign my confession. I'll sign the rejection of further appeals. I'll sign to remove Captain Fredrick's Paternal Privilege. He won't be able to act on my behalf anymore. Please, let that be enough."

"IT MOST CERTAINLY IS NOT ENOUGH!" The Lieutenant turned back and kicked Rabbit in the stomach. "You'll damn well sign the demarcation retraction as well."

"You son of a bitch! Leave her alone, you limp dick bastard!" Rory screamed.

McShane barked out a laugh silencing the room. "So, it is true," he smugly announced as he regained his composure. "Tell me, Coward, how many foul ways did the good Lieutenant violate you during those late night interrogations?"

"He left no stone unturned, Sir." Rory spat back.

"Rory? Rory, he hurt you? He use his thing to hurt you?" Rabbit was horrified.

Rory's eyes filled with tears as she recognized the depths of Rabbit's concern for her, "Doesn't matter, Rabbit. It's over. I survived."

Rabbit turned her full, hate filled gaze on the Lieutenant, "You be deading. I be deading you. Don't go sleepy. I come and you be deading! I cut off your nuts!"

Rabbit pulled widely on her restraints. She growled like a thing possessed. Rabbit strained so hard that the leather belt securing her ankles began to creak, threatening to snap. The sweaty man took a step back and then a second step back.

"Tell her to stop," McShane instructed Rory in a hushed voice. "Tell her now."

"Rabbit! STOP!"

Her tone got Rabbit's attention. Rory watched as the fire left her friend. Their eyes locked. The depth of anger on Rabbit's face was something Rory regretted seeing.

"It was a long time ago, Rabbit. I'm fine. I'm fine because of you. He doesn't matter. He never mattered," Rory smiled and Rabbit responded with a hesitant half smile of her own. "Love you,"

Rabbit sniffed back her tears, "Me too."

"Okay, fun and games are over. Time to finish our business," McShane rose from his seat and approached Rabbit. He removed the gun from his holster and shoved the barrel in her mouth, "You know I don't bluff, Rory, so sign all the papers."

"Alright," Rory hung her head in total defeat.

"Even the demarcation retraction," he pushed the gun a little harder into Rabbit's mouth making the girl gag.

"I'll sign all the papers just, please, don't kill her," Rory was begging.

McShane gave a wink to the Lieutenant, "That's how you do it my friend, that's how you do it."

"We are Varicants…,"

"Wasn't everybody wondering when they were going to show up again," McShane rolled his eyes.

"Ghosts again," Rabbit mumbled around the gun in her mouth.

"…we don't mean to intrude…,"

"Then shut the Hell up and go away," the Lieutenant shouted as he mopped his brow. "We're almost finished here. So go away."

"We can not leave without first providing a message of warning."

"Which is…?" McShane asked.

"There is an unscheduled ship approaching. It is from Old Earth. We are told it has members of the judiciary aboard."

"GOD DAMN IT!" The Lieutenant sounded panicked. "I thought they were awaiting the results of our investigation?"

"Apparently, they made a change in plans," McShane was stone faced as he released his hold on Rabbit.

Rory watched silently as McShane began sweat for the very first time ever.

"I don't understand why you have come so far on a fool's errand," The Lieutenant stated as General Leonard entered the arrival area.

"Attention!" The General snapped to silence the Lieutenant's complaint. "You are a military officer first and foremost. You will address me with the respect I'm entitled to."

"Sir, sorry, Sir."

The General sighed wearily before introducing the rest of the party entering the arrival area, "Joining me on the panel are Senator Green, from Major Rory's home commonwealth and Judge Elliot, of the Federal Criminal Courts." After shaking each of their hands, the Lieutenant asked, "A panel, Sir? For a fact finding trip?"

"No, it is no longer a fact finding trip," Senator Green interjected with a ready smile spreading across her generous lips. "The Senate voted no confidence in the Military's ability to explore its own improprieties. We've come to hear Major Rory's appeal."

The Lieutenant began to shake with anger, "I'm not prepared for trial. It will take months…,"

"No need for you to worry," Judge Elliot reassured. "We brought an independent counsel with us for the prosecution and a Soldier's Relief Lawyer for the defense."

"What…,"

"Really, Lieutenant, it is more prudent to proceed this way. What with you facing a criminal investigation of your own," The General slapped him on the back.

"Sir…," The Lieutenant struggled to find his words.

"I'm sorry, the discussion must end here. Further conversation would be inappropriate without the lawyers present. And, I believe they've been delayed waiting for their luggage. Lieutenant, until you are summoned, you are confined to your bunk. Dismissed," The General snapped off a salute. "GUARDS, escort the prisoner to his bunk."

The Lieutenant began to sob as the guards each took an elbow and lead him to his confinement.

Rory carefully brushed the stray hairs away from Rabbits bruised and battered face. After being returned to their cell, Rory had worked to treat the damage the Lieutenant inflicted. The Varicants provided water, clean bandages, a special cream, and pain pills. Rory was surprised by their generosity but did not thank them. If they had wanted to be heroes then they should have stopped the abuse.

"How are you feeling?" She whispered to the woman laying next to her, snuggled safely in her arms.

Rabbit's eyes seemed to darken but there were no tears, "Mad. Hurt you. Me hate him."

Rory couldn't stop her smile, "I was talking about your injuries. He beat you up pretty bad."

"Him hit like girlie. Bad man." Rabbit was quiet for a moment before answering the question, "Hurt. Not hurt hurt. Only hurt."

"I wish I could make it so nobody hurt you again," Rory gave Rabbit a gentle squeeze. She was careful to avoid the wounded skin.

"Rabbit wish for Rory too." She gave a little shrug of her shoulders before grinning, "We can make it not hurt. Only a little but we can."

Rory shook her head no, "You need to get to sleep not get off. Both of us need sleep more than sex."

"Uh ahn, sex good for healing," Rabbit made a grab for Rory's hand in order to force the issue.

"Behave yourself. I promise, if you get some sleep then I make wild passionate love to you all day tomorrow," Rory caught Rabbit's hand and kissed the palm.

Rabbit eye's filled with tears, "No tomorrow, Rory. We get deading tomorrow. Love me now, please."

Rory knew Rabbit was right. They were almost out of luck. By tomorrow, they most likely would be executed. Rory nodded her agreement and spent the night fulfilling her promise to Rabbit.

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