Fiction:Purgatory's Black March

Interrogation
Alasta was in full armour as she walked down a hall of one of the Purgatory Guard's starships. Since the Reliquary raid, these ships were beocming more present thoughout the first gigaquadrant, appearing lik phantoms and doing the Inquisition's work. Alasta approached the door to an interrogation room where one of the Guard was standing sentry, giving her a nod. She stood slightly taller than him as she nodded in acceptance, being handed a notepad detailing the detainee inside.

Alasta - Is the prisoner feeling cooperative today? Guard - Hm, sadly not. And from what we can tell, they're not happy being here.'' Alasta - ''That was their mistake. They forced our hand, we retaliated.''

The guard nodded and stepped to the side and opened the door for her, she walked into a dull and almost-featureless room. Two chairs, a table, a mirror and bright lighting. Alesta smirked as she brushed her hand over the backrest of the chair close to her, looking into the eyes of the single other individual in the room. The individual, a Sparghazi soldier, wore gold and black armour - the colours of the Xhodocto Dominion. He was reddened by skin colour, and his jaws were visible, portraying long rows of twisted, sharp teeth. The eyes flickered at the Inquisitor, with short, sharp breaths.

Alasta - How are we feeling today? Sphagarzi - ''Like Dorzam's winds scouring the ice. Be glad I am restrained.'' Alasta - We shall see.

Alasta paced around the tabled, closely observing the Sparghazi and quietly feeling confident in herself.

Alasta - ''Now, I feel concerned that the two of us may have gotten off wrong. I can be reasonable you see, and all I ask is that you give me a little information. With that, you may go free.'' Sphagarzi - And me spilling this information makes you any safer? Alasta - ''Well...your people were unaware of me until recently. The collective I serve knows how to cover its tracks. So are you feeling cooperative, or will I need to start becoming more inventive?'' Sphagarzi - ''Hmph. Try and fail.''

Alasta shook her head and reached out, she brushed her hand against the warrior's snout and looked at him sympathetically before he felt a burst of air rush into his nostrils. The Sphagarzi jolted in the chair, hissing in anger. Alasta quickly retracted her hand and let out a deep sigh as she turned away.

Alasta - ''Apologies, but I do need this information. I want to know where your Dominion will be striking next ,where are you funneling your soldiers?'' Sphagarzi - ''Wherever it is, you are not welcome. You'll be shot down before you even take your first step in there.''

Alasta turned around, in an instant, her eyes were now blazing an infernal energy, with the swift turn of her head, her Draconis-like features had become much more demonic, savage teeth made up a mouth surrounded by thick and coarse scales. Her armour was twisted, the numeorus dancing patterns now coalesced and danced like flame agaiinst the plating's surface. The Sparghazi's vision began to warp, the room darkening and the walls bending outwards as if the room he was in were swollen. The Sphagarzi sat straight in his chair, chuckling at Alasta's transformation.

Sphagarzi - Do...do...you think that's not...known to me?

Alasta opened her mouth, and it was as though ten different dissonant voices spoke at once and in unison. She chuckled, the noise reverberating before she set those burning eyes on him.

Alasta - ''It would not surprise me. But you know, just because you've seen it before, does not mean you do not fear it.''

The Sphagarzi growled further, and spoke again.

Sphagarzi - Have you ever looked into the eyes of a Xhodocto, woman? Alasta - In honesty no. But I hear that to gaze at such a thing, is to gaze at imminent oblivion, Sphagarzi - ''Do you think I am going to speak to you, demon or not? You're closer to them than I am.'' Alasta - ''Do you feel it alien? That sense of vertigo? The feeling that you are floating in water. It should be kicking in about now, but I can stop it if you cooperate.'' Sphagarzi - ''Grrr. Why should I?''

Alasta's movements became more blurred, she moved as though she were a living shadow, approaching the Sparghazi once agian, showing those teeth once more.

Alasta - ''This will go on until you answer. The vertigo, the warping, the sensations it will go on until you cooperate.'' Sphagarzi - I will not talk.

Alasta breathed into the Sparhazi's face with a smile, releasing a wispy cloud that began to twist his world further, Alesta herself became less solid, a twisted and nightmarish shadow with two burning eyes. The sensations continued and intensified until there was no sensation of up or down, left or right, far or near, the walls and floor blurred and churned. The Sphagarzi's posture melted. His head lowered, struggling to keep composition.

Alasta - ''I can easily make sure this is all you see alien. Can you imagine? A life with no up? No down? Where every figure is but a shade, you can never feel the ground you walk upon. All you need to do to stop it, is tell me what you know.'' Sphagarzi - ''...Óserdzavnakházúrátaranadín. Senvarschashárkeltratavartesliarméomatlevkhasdrannirébh.'' [We are the Dominion. You and all others shall die.] Alasta - You damn yourself with these words alien...

The Sphagarzi let out a drunken hiss, before knocking his head back in confusion.

Alasta - ''You want it to stop don't you? Your mind begs for a reality that makes sense. I will be kind, this wil lstop once you tell me where the Dominion plans to attack next!''

The Sphagarzi doubled over, lunging forward as vomit spewed out of his mouth from the ensued nausea. Alasta's shade stepped back and shifted behind the Sparghazi, brushing a phantasmic finger against his snout.

Alasta - ''Well that was unpleasant, but it does not have to continue. I give you one last chance, speak now or this will continue another time.'' Sphagarzi - Khazúrankhárazíreshírvnamlkraventaríairev. [He is watching you.] Alasta - Then we are done for today.

Alasta moved her hand away and walked towards what vaguely appeared to look like a door, as she left the room gradually returned to normal and she became more physical before stepping out. Outside however, everything was perfectly normal, and when Alasta left it was as though she had never changed, but she did have a smile on her face.

Guard - Dare I ask what you were doing to the detainee? Alasta - ''It is best if only he and I know, brother. But he cracked.''

Alasta walked away, writing into the notepad with her finger, feeling satisfied with herself as the guard shook his head, looking at the monitor in his gauntlet at the Saprghazi. He was mildly shocked to see him convulsing in his chair, doubled-over and panting with panic, his eyes darting everywhere. Pooled at his feet was a large puddle of rather sickly-looking vomit. The guard could not help but turn away, or perhaps feel pity, another part of him wondering what in all the universe had broken and destroyed him li that.