Before the Pull: Dust and Sand

[TetNak]

The laughter. All Rax hears is the laughter. Nazar laughs, the guards laugh and the crowd laughs. It is almost too much to bear that his freedom means so little to anyone else. "Lash him!"

One of the guards produces a three pronged leather whip. The ends have small knots tied into them. Rax knows from experience that these can kill even a Mul. The first strike stings, but on the twentieth, even the mighty Mul's endurance threatens to fail. His back, shoulders, and arms are chewed to shreds. It is all pain, pain and laughter ...

[Chanur]

The pain would have made him unconscious already if not for the laughter. It echo's in his mind fueling his rage and his spirit some how. He knows he is likely to die this day but he wants to do it like a warrior. Rising slowly back to his feet as lash after lash rains down on his back and shoulders. Struggling he finally stands and the laughs... The laughs they burn his ears and burn his soul if he was free he would rain death on them all . The pain is excruciating but he hardly feels it even as his body is dying the laughter driving him on. "I die a warrior! On my feet!" The mil shouts but knows no one can hear him. He thinks no...don't die this way ...not a slave...who will get vengeance for you if you die today...

[TetNak]

Finally the lashes stop. Rax is unsure of exactly what is happening. He knows he is hauled up and drug away from the pole and thrown onto a cold slab of stone.

** Days Later ***

Rax awakens on a bed. Behind him is the slaves' herbalist. Suddenly, the Mul feels the terrible pain awash all down his back. Benjar, the herbalist puts a hand on the back of Rax's head. "Do not move, you fool. You will tear open all your wounds. I had to stich many of them back together." He looks at the Mul expectantly, attempting to get agreement that he will not suddenly move or get up.

[Chanur]

Rax feels like his body is on fire. He tries to get up but Benjar holds him down. Nodding his head that he will not move he lays there still. "How long have I been here?"

[TetNak]

"Two days, almost three," Benjar answers. He was a slave as well, but very prized, as he kept the slaves healthy. He did not live among the gladiators, but instead with the Ludus' house slaves. They said he had a beautiful slave wife and took her every night as he pleased. "The master nearly killed you," the man says, frowning at that. "There are of course magics that could heal you, but, well, they are forbidden."

[Chanur]

Rax coughs a little throat dry from being passed out he is still a bit hoarse. "He must have been really angry this time or has more money than sense." Rax grins a stupid grin. "Magics you say? I wont tell if you don't." Rax teases secretly hoping Benjar knew some but knowing he doesn't. The pain was practically unbearable. "Is it true you have a "Rax coughs some trying not to move "a wife?"

Almost as an after thought "How long until I will heal?"

[TetNak]

Benjar raises an eyebrow at the Mul's question. "Is that really helpful to your healing?" The herbalist frowns, "How long? How long? Maybe never, you could still die, but your race gives you more chance than others." He lays another cloth strip with paste on the Mul's back. "Do not move and you should be fine."

[Chanur]

"No I suppose not." Rax coughs and lays still. He begins to think with the way he was treated he is likely never to leave. I have to escape if I want out, I don't believe he will ever release me. "Have you ever known the master to set anyone free? Has anyone won their freedom?"

[TetNak]

"From the pits?" Benjar asks, "No. No one has. They fight and fight and fight until they die. I am sorry, your former days of glory and freedom are long lost."

[Chanur]

Rax signs torn and his back all but destroyed "I thought not." The Mul lays there wondering if he should just die but his desire for glory and freedom will not let him. " Bastards stole my freedom from me. I was free you know. 6 moons...all I had was 6 moons of freedom." Rax sighs "Is there anything that can help me sleep so i don't break open my wounds?"