As if in answer to her thinking, noises and commotion rose from the level below. The clock to her arrest was now ticking.
The next punch he threw at her she not only blocked, but she grabbed his wrist and punched his lights out with a well-placed elbow. Blood flew from his mouth as his head was thrown backwards. She applied strong pressure to his wrist and he opened his hand. She took his fingers one by one and broke them without hesitating. He screamed in agony with each new broken bone. He fell to his knees and implored her to stop.
But she couldn’t hear him anymore. She broke his wrist on the same hand, then proceeded to crush his humorous with a powerful thrust of her knee. The bone broke in two and was exposed to the air as blood flowed from the wound.
She then proceeded to his other arm, dislocating his shoulder with a very satisfying crunch. She no longer heard his screams. She was in revenge mode, making sure he would suffer every last second of his pathetic life. She owed that to Jax, Jonas and Alix.
When she stopped, Atrak was crying and begging for mercy, both arms rendered totally useless, blood flowing from many wounds. Even if she stopped there he would die shortly. But she wasn’t done. Laser fire hit the force fields preventing people from entering the office. Ryonna saw half a dozen guards firing their weapons. The force field blinked but seemed to be holding. Nevertheless, she needed to make sure Atrak drew his last breath shortly.
“Get up, you piece of shit!”
“I can’t. You broke both my arms. I can’t move a single muscle.”
“Let me help you out.”
When their gazes met, Ryonna saw utter terror in his eyes. The man knew she was about to finish him.
With one hand she grabbed the light-blade and with the other she lifted Atrak to his feet by his hair.
“This is for Jax.”
She brought the light-blade to life near Atrak’s groin. The blade shot between his legs, hovering less than an inch from his testicles.
“No! Don’t do this, plea— Aaaaaaarg,” was the last thing Atrak ever said.
Ryonna cut through him slowly, taking her time, splitting his genitals in two before splitting the rest of his body all the way to the top. A foul odor of charred flesh emanated from his body as the light-blade cut him slowly in half, cauterizing his wound and releasing smoke. By the time she was at neck level, Atrak was already long dead. She then released his hair and, with a swift motion, finished her movement to split his face in half, in a perfectly vertical line. His body split in two and fell to the ground. She turned the light-blade off and threw it on the ground.
“Vengeance has been served. Thank you, Jonas,” said Ryonna, knowing he could hear her.
The force field was about to give in, so she dropped to her knees and put both hands behind her back.
Soon the security guards stormed the office, restraining and arresting her.
* * *
Because she had killed so many people, Ryonna had been deemed too great a security risk for a public trial. Instead a judge came to see her in her detention room, where she was chained to the wall by every limb, four laser-guided turrets covering her from every direction.
The woman judge entered her cell and shot her a cold stare.
“I have half a mind to ask an exception be made so we can execute you, miss.”
“I thought Hathan didn’t believe in capital punishment.”
“Acts like these make me think we should make exceptions.”
“Atrak was a piece of garbage. He needed to be put down.”
“Watch your mouth. I knew Atrak personally. You’re the piece of garbage here.”
“Then you didn’t know him as well as you thought.”
“And why should I listen to the words of a criminal responsible for the deaths of no less than eleven people?”
“Look, lady, I don’t give a rat’s ass what you believe, but that asshole killed my husband and exploited young Droxian children.”
“What do you mean ‘exploited’?”
“Do I really have to spell it out?”
She didn’t. It was clear the judge was aware of such activity on her planet.
“I refuse to believe it.”
“Like I said, I don’t give a shit what you believe. He will no longer hurt anyone.”
“Even if what you say is true—and believe me I will get to the bottom of this—the way you sought retribution was wrong. You will be sentenced to life in the worst prison in this sector. Hellstar.”
Ryonna smiled.
“Do you find it funny, miss?”
“No. In fact, I’m looking forward to it.”
The judge shook her head. “I therefore sentence you to life on Hellstar. Do you understand your sentence, Ryonna Isch’ys?”
“I do, thank you judge.”
“May gods have mercy on your soul.”
“Save it for someone who believes in them, judge, but thanks for the pep talk.”
The judge left her cell and the temporarily disabled turrets came back to life, casting their red laser pointers on Ryonna’s chest. She was still smiling.
* * *
Ryonna looked at the stars passing by. She was in the transport that would bring her to her final destination. She was ready for what came next. Her thoughts went to Jonas. She had wished for a chance to talk with him once more, if only to say goodbye in case she didn’t make it out of Hellstar alive. But mostly she thought of Ronan. Soon she would be reunited with her son, and together they’d escape the unescapable prison.
Hold on, my son, I’m coming for you.
THE END
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Ryonna's Trials: Novella 1 (Universe in Flames Book 20) Page 11