[Veltzeh]: 39.The Heritage of Humankind.Tales from Kyerrion.14

It took the whole day to build the fence around the small femehan camp. When the work was done, Krezagon and the other workers rested around a bit and some went elsewhere. Krezagon idled around, standing and watching what ey had accomplished. Ey had taken down many of the trees they had used, and cleaned up pretty much all of them. Ey knew it was good work and ey had been fast at it as well. Of course ey had heard no praise from the others and was even insulted because of being good and useful, but Krezagon did not care anymore. When ey was done watching, ey turned to go eat and get some rest in eir tent and ended up face to face with the captain.

Krezagon was fairly surprised, and the captain had a small smile on eir face. "Your work is excellent, soldier. I haven't seen anyone take down and clean trees that well and that fast." Krezagon was flabbergasted and had a very strange expression of joy and amazement on eir face, which made em look at least eight years younger. The captain smiled a bit wider. "Take this." Ey held out a knife. "It's a very good quality knife and you deserve it."

Krezagon took the knife with an appreciatively slow gesture and held it appropriately. Ey was so amazed ey had slight trouble expressing eir gratitude, but managed. "Thank you very much, captain." Eir face twisted into a wide smile. After looking at each other for a short moment, the captain moved away again, walking past Krezagon. Krezagon pretty much shook and ey decided to go and walk to eir tent. Ey started walking and bounced with pretty much every step, and ended up waving the newly acquired knife around like it was the best tool of art rather than a construction tool or a weapon.

In eir tent, Krezagon felt euphoric and examined the knife closer. It was indeed very good quality, with an extremely durable blade, very sharp edge, fine handle and the whole of it was easy to use, perfectly balanced and neither too light nor too heavy. Krezagon admired it for some time before eir stomach reminded em that ey was starving.

Krezagon went to eat, and after that was done, returned to eir tent and realized that Tegafel was still gone. Ey spent some time looking for em, but did not find em. Eventually ey asked the guards, and while the first few either really did not know or care or were just being mean to Krezagon, ey did find out that Tegafel had been imprisoned because of some murder thing. Krezagon was shocked and could not believe it, but eventually the information settled and it was not impossible. Ey asked some more questions and ended up listening in on the conversation between the captain, sergeants and some other people with a rank higher than that of a normal soldier.

The homehans had quite strong evidence that Tegafel had indeed killed a homehan. The femehans were not very conclusive—on the other hand Tegafel was impaired and the incident smelled like a set-up. Nevertheless, it was not impossible for Tegafel to have done it and there was quite a clear motive as well.

Derekl kept on expressing eir opinion in a vehement manner. Ey had little or no doubts that Tegafel had done it, and the others were not concerned or stubborn enough to argue against em too much. After a while Krezagon had had enough. Ey kept thinking that ey might be executed for speaking against people of higher rank than emself, but ey figured that if anything would be worth risking it, it was Tegafel's life.

Krezagon stepped forth from a shadowed place to where the discussants could see em. The people first only glanced at em, but they all turned to look when Krezagon spoke: "Excuse me, soos! I wish to speak for my friend, Tegafel Darrelter."

There was a short moment of silence. Derekl looked fairly furious. The captain went: "And what do you have to say for your friend, ancod?"

Krezagon frowned at being called an ancod—as if it made any difference at the point. Obviously it did for the others, but it should not have. "Tegafel is not a violent or vengeful person. I spent some time with em after the homehans released em and I saw no indications whatsoever about em wanting revenge, despite the sadness and the nightmares ey had. Also, ey was in no condition to kill anyone. And ey certainly did not display any interest in the homehans."

"Trying to cover up for your buddy, are you, Shynderfolter?" said Derekl. About half of the people snickered.

"I am merely stating the fact that ey could not have done it. Ey did not do it."

"You've probably been listening to us speak for a while. You know that it isn't impossible, even if it sounds unlikely. Maybe ey just saw a chance," said the captain.

"Don't bother explaining it to that nutwit, sogewa," said Derekl to the captain. Ey turned to look at Krezagon again. "Your inane utterings are just as useless as you are."

There was a moment of silence and Krezagon thought that ey was expected to leave now. It did not seem like the others were angry at em about speaking up, save for Derekl. However, there was no consensus and Krezagon thought that eir speaking up had not helped. "Tegafel did not do it. I am not going to stand by and watch a friend and a fellow soldier get executed because homehans set em up. It's real nice to solve a cold-blooded murder of an innocent person by murdering another."

Derekl was angry. Ey got up, shouting: "Insubordination, Shynderfolter!" Ey walked straight up at Krezagon, who took a step back. Derekl smacked Krezagon across the face. Krezagon was about to defend emself all the way, but knew what would follow from that, so ey did not. Ey stumbled a bit before turning back at Derekl. "Go haul your USELESS self to your gzoozzing tent! This is a closed discussion!"

"Tegafel did not do it!" Derekl smacked Krezagon again, this time quickly enough that Krezagon might not have been able to dodge or block. Ey stumbled a bit more, but turned back again.

"SAY THAT AGAIN, SHYNDERFOLTER!"

"Ey did not do it!" Derekl aimed a low right straight to Krezagon's stomach and made the ancod cough, gag and double over with pain. Krezagon was tempted to take out eir knife and stab Derekl with it, but controlled emself—even though eir hand had not been too far from the knife. Krezagon straightened emself, holding eir stomach and looking at Derekl, and said quietly: "Ey didn't do it." Krezagon had not noticed that while ey was bent over, Derekl had taken out eir own knife, and now as ey had spoken, Derekl slashed Krezagon with it. "Yaaagh!" Derekl had slashed Krezagon across the chest and through eir skin. The wound bled and Krezagon clutched it with eir other hand, staring at Derekl. Ey took a step back, angry, confused and scared.

Derekl took a step forward. "Say it again!"

Krezagon was quiet for a short moment, but just as Derekl was about to start ridiculing em and calling em a coward, Krezagon said: "Ey didn't do it."

Derekl violently grabbed Krezagon by the arm ey was holding over eir stomach and pulled em closer. "So maybe YOU did it, you useless piece of meat! Though I don't think you're really meat either, because even meat alone is more useful than you! Any kind of meat!" With that, Derekl slowly stabbed Krezagon rather deep in eir arm and made a large, deep wound.

"Iiiaaaaargh!" Krezagon shook and did all ey could to not start fighting. Ey heard some shuffling in front of em and behind Derekl. Derekl suddenly let go of Krezagon, and Krezagon took three steps back, now holding eir chest and arm.

The captain glared at Derekl. "Take a walk. Come back in sixteen minutes."

Derekl did not waste time. "Yes, sogewa." Ey walked away.

The captain turned at Krezagon. "Your opinion is heard. Go to your tent, ancod."

Krezagon would have wanted to say many things, among them the fact that eir wounds needed to be tied, but the captain obviously waited for em to leave. "Yes, sogewa," mumbled Krezagon and walked away, still shaking.

Krezagon went to eir tent and tried to stop the bleeding, ending up tying eir wounds a bit shoddily with the bandages ey had. Ey thought ey should wait until the discussions were over and then ask the medic to stitch the wounds better. Ey walked around a bit, very nervous, worrying about Tegafel and rubbing eir stingy wounds. Eventually ey settled down to lie on the ground to watch the sun go down. The weather was slightly cloudy, but the sun could be seen and it going down made the sky quite colorful. Torches and other lights were lit in the camp.

Krezagon lay on the ground for a fairly long time before anything happened. What did happen was footsteps coming closer, and when Krezagon turned eir head to see what was coming, ey saw Derekl, walking angrily toward em. The ancod became agitated immediately and startled before getting up.

Derekl did not even call for attention. "You useless piece of rotten wood!" Ey kept on slinging insults while ey grabbed Krezagon by the wounded arm and made the ancod whimper. Derekl pushed Krezagon around, trying to make em fall and did not let em run away. Krezagon fell down a few times. Ey tried to escape as well, and after ey had almost succeeded, Derekl caught em more firmly and grabbed eir crotch.

Krezagon startled exaggeratedly and stared at Derekl. "What the —?!"

"Silence, prosht!" Derekl groped Krezagon's crotch a bit and stuffed eir hand deeper. Ey was holding Krezagon's arm with eir other hand, but let go and instead grabbed the ancod's buttock.

Krezagon was very disturbed. Ey did not dare to do anything to Derekl in fear of getting executed, and ey stared getting slightly tearful. "Soni, please stop," ey asked.

"No I won't! I don't even see how you care! It's not like this would FEEL like anything to YOU, you useless slave!"

"It does!" Krezagon whimpered.

"You're just saying that." Derekl squeezed Krezagon's crotch, making the ancod grimace in pain and suppress a groan. The nicod let go of Krezagon's behind and smacked em in the face. Krezagon stumbled a bit and Derekl let go of em, but caught em before ey could even try to run. After a few insults and some shaking, Derekl grabbed Krezagon's shirt and pulled down forcefully, tearing it off.

Krezagon was jerked down. "Agh!"

Derekl discarded the torn cloth like it was air and grabbed Krezagon by eir hair. Krezagon could not help but bring both eir hands to hold Derekl's arm to prevent injury, but ey did it in a way that was not restricting the nicod, since it was more likely that Derekl would punish em worse if ey did. Derekl pulled off the bandages as well and pressed eir other hand against Krezagon's chest. "You know, I've heard that even the sexes who don't have breasts can sometimes breastfeed children. But you can't, because you're completely useless. What for do you even have nipples? I know! They're a some sort of mockery to your monument of total uselessness!" The nicod squeezed one of Krezagon's nipples between eir fingers, making the ancod scream.

"Please let me go!" Krezagon shook and again did all ey could to keep emself from attacking Derekl.

"You want to go, do you?! Not so fast, you prosht." Derekl looked around and yelled at the first people ey saw: "Hey! You three! Come over here." The two nicods and one nigecod jogged over while Derekl grabbed Krezagon's arms. "Hm... okay, you, go get a whip. Let's go over there." The three soldiers were obviously quite delighted in getting a chance to partake in some torture. Krezagon put up a namely resistance while the two soldiers and the sergeant dragged em to the edge of the camp where there was an almost vertical rock formation. Once there, the two soldiers grabbed Krezagon's arms and even restricted eir legs. Now Krezagon might have not been able to get away even if ey had to, so ey went fairly quiet. Ey stared at Derekl, scared. Derekl stepped very uncomfortably close to Krezagon and then moved both eir hands to grab the ancod's behind. Krezagon made a desperately uneasy face, and Derekl obviously enjoyed it. Ey continued groping Krezagon's private parts until the soldier who ey had sent to get a whip returned. Derekl moved some distance back and instructed the two soldiers to do the same. Krezagon could not help but submit, so ey pulled down eir suspenders, moved eir hair to the front and was about to turn. "Don't turn, Shynderfolter!" One of the soldiers laughed. "I'm going to whip your useless corpse from the front." The soldiers were fascinated.

Krezagon almost panicked. "But — but —"

"You better cover your useless face, you prosht!" Derekl prepared to fling the whip.

Krezagon agonized for two seconds before ey covered eir face completely with eir arms and tensed eir body. When the first whiplash came, ey screamed and bent. As soon as ey had straightened emself, the second whiplash struck em neatly in the wound Derekl had cut earlier. It also went across Krezagon's nipple, which was that much more painful. Krezagon screamed again and stumbled because of the pain. It took em a bit more time to get upright and ey tried to delay it, but did not risk Derekl whipping em totally randomly like the nicod threatened, so ey straightened again and the whip struck em on the lower belly. Krezagon whimpered and heard that Derekl walked toward em again, having handed the whip to the third soldier. The two other guards came to Krezagon as well, and this time Krezagon put some more resistance in being restricted but did not hurt the other soldiers.

Derekl held Krezagon by the chin and saw the few tears that the ancod had in eir eyes and face. "Gzoozzing coward of a child! Weren't you taught that soldiers don't cry, prosht?!" Krezagon jerked eir head away and let out a sob disguised as a cough. Derekl quickly grabbed eir hair and pulled on it. Krezagon grimaced and tried to do whatever the sergeant wanted. Ey listened to yet another list of insults and profanities, and Derekl thought it would be a great idea to pull open the wound on Krezagon's chest as well as the whiplashes.

After eir wounds had been through some more violence, Krezagon was shaking fairly much. Ey was leaning eir head back in order to prevent the others from seeing just how badly ey was weeping. Derekl had gotten bored with pulling on Krezagon's wounds, so ey pulled on the ancod's hair again and got eir final bright idea. "You know, hair that long is just about as useless in the army as you are." Derekl turned to the one who was not holding Krezagon. "Do you have knife?"

The nicod reached to eir belt, but noticed that ey did not have one. "Sorry, I don't. I left it in my tent, soni..."

"Hm well. Take this," said Derekl and handed the soldier eir own knife. "Now, cut eir hair off."

The soldier grinned widely and got to work. Derekl's knife was not exactly in the sharpest condition, so it took fairly long to get Krezagon's hair short. It did not even succeed too well, since hair could not be cut very short with such a dull knife. Krezagon's scalp just hurt, but it was not the kind that would make em groan, so ey kept quiet, though tears certainly fell down eir face. Eir hair was the only beautiful part of eir body.

After the cutting was over, Krezagon had a bad headache and a terrible haircut. The other soldiers laughed, and Derekl spat out some more of eir unoriginal insults. Finally, Derekl just spat at Krezagon's face and the guards let em fall down on the ground. They walked away.

Krezagon spent some time crying on the ground, but got up eventually and went into the infirmary tent. The medic was not there, so ey turned the light on, sat on the ground and wept some more.

Eventually the medic saw the light and came to the tent. Fronel looked down at Krezagon, seeming expressionless, but then just helped the ancod up, cleaned eir wounds, stitched the one on eir arm and bandaged that as well as the one on eir chest.

Fronel held Krezagon's shoulder while the ancod just drooped eir head. The nigecod mumbled at no one: "This is just ridiculous..." Ey turned to look at Krezagon and now focused on the torn hair rather than eir beaten body. "You know, I could cut that hair of yours a bit more properly. That just won't work..." Krezagon was quiet. "Would you like that?"

Krezagon was a bit surprised to hear the medic asking, but managed to say: "Yes, I would, sonige." Eir voice was somewhat weak and coarse. Fronel picked up scissors and a small cover with which ey covered Krezagon's shoulders. Having done that, ey spent some time making Krezagon's hair look fairly decent again. Krezagon managed to enjoy the gentle way in which the medic touched eir head.

Fronel finished eventually and stood still for a moment. "It's a shame, really... you had nice hair. Then again, it will grow back of course."

Krezagon sighed and nodded. They did not say much more. Fronel left off again and Krezagon had a small snack before wandering off into eir tent. Ey did not have a shirt anymore and ey did not know whether ey could go ask if ey could get a new one. Ey fingered eir knife and thought about Tegafel. The captain and the others had said that homehans were planning to execute Tegafel at noon, but they had seemed adamant about getting it delayed until a thorough investigation had been completed. Krezagon thought ey would just follow the situation, and if it seemed like Tegafel would be executed, ey would fight and do all ey could to free em. Ey wanted to sleep and forget what had been done to em.