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| - “Everyone has a right to live here and I refuse to be a part of a regime that says otherwise! I’ve worked too hard to help turn things around only to sit back and watch it all go back to what it once was!” Toryn Farr folded her arms, her glare fixed on Brigadier General Havenstrite. “So, you would prefer these people sneaking in, stealing our jobs and benefits without contributing to society as they should?” Havenstrite shook his head. “It is a good thing that you have no real power, Commander Farr. If it were up to you, we’d be up to our bootstraps in these leaches.” “I’m not saying that we should allow people to live off the grid, but perhaps there is another way, perhaps register them rather than deportation…” “How can you be so blind?!” Havenstrite stepped forward, towering over Toryn, jabbing his finger mere centimeters from her nose. “Are you aware of the amount of money that would require? Have you stopped to think about that, about whether or not the public would be willing to pay for this? To pay to register freeloaders so that they are now permitted to steal our jobs? Of course you didn’t!” He stepped closer, his voice taking on a dangerous edge. “How Rieekan could ever commend someone so unbelievably foolish is beyond my understanding.” “How dare you speak to her like that!” A high-pitched voice cut through the tense situation. Both Toryn and Havenstrite turned around, seeing Zuckuss standing in the doorway, his gloved finger pointing accusingly in Havenstrite’s direction. Toryn recovered her voice first. “Zuckuss, what’re you doing in here? This… this really isn’t any of your concern…” Zuckuss ignored her, crossing the room to Havenstrite, stabbing at the air as if the motion of pointing would have a tangible effect on the man. “You do not ever speak to Toryn in that manner!” Havenstrite’s face contorted into a scowl and he swatted the Gand’s hand away. “Get out of this room at once, you insect. You have no business here.” He gestured to the door, only for Zuckuss to grab his arm. “What are you doing? Unhand me and get out of here!” Toryn could feel the Gand’s rising anger radiating like the heat of a furnace. “Zuckuss…” Her voice was a level warning. Still ignoring Toryn, Zuckuss tightened his grip on Havenstrite’s arm, taking a step forward, his voice low. “If I ever, ever hear you speak to Toryn like that again—” Havenstrite raised an eyebrow. “Are you threatening me, insect?” He laughed, shooting Toryn a vulpine look. “I see you have him wrapped around your finger, Commander. So, what favors did you grant him?” Toryn’s jaw dropped. She felt her face flush a bright red at what she was being accused of. “Sir…! How can you think that I would…” Havenstrite snorted. He wrenched his arm from Zuckuss’s grip and turned towards Toryn, the Gand’s focus was now on some inner point concerning the man’s statement. “You said it before yourself, Commander, that you ‘had gotten to know him quite well.’ And here he is, like the over-protective leashed boyfriend.” He shook his head. “Honestly, Commander. Have you no shame?” Toryn was utterly speechless, so Zuckuss replied for her. Unfortunately, the response was a quick jab to Havenstrite’s midsection. Havenstrite doubled over as he stumbled backward. He coughed, recovering the breath that was forced from his lungs. Toryn blinked, stepping back as well, finally finding her voice. “Zuckuss…! What’re you—” “Don’t just stand there, you dimwit!” Havenstrite’s hoarse voice snapped. “Call security!” He straightened, raising his arm just in time for a blow to glance off of it. He caught Zuckuss by the wrist and pulled it behind the Gand’s back, wrapping his other arm around Zuckuss’s neck, pinning him. “You are not the only one with SpecForce training…” Toryn backed up, unable to take her eyes off the scuffle. She was not sure which she was shocked over more; Havenstrite’s promiscuity accusations or Zuckuss’s sudden outburst. Truth be told, this was the first time she had seen the Gand react with such emotionally-charged violence. However, other thoughts began to cross her mind as she reached the desk’s intercom, thoughts concerning what others have remarked to her about Zuckuss’s behavior, behavior that Toryn chose to attribute to stress or outright pretend was not present. Passers-by in the hall had remarked that Zuckuss looked disheveled and was often muttering to himself. Others had reported unprovoked aggression. And, Toryn sighed, she had to admit the apparent obsession that Zuckuss exhibited, with both Havenstrite’s actions and Toryn’s emotional well-being. Toryn shook her head, activating the intercom and summoning security. Her legs felt weak as she opened her eyes to events that others had been alerting her, events that she chose to ignore. If she had just acknowledged it, perhaps she could have prevented it… There was a shout, a heavy thud, and a shuffling as Toryn looked up, seeing Zuckuss getting to his feet and Havenstrite rubbing his abdomen. Zuckuss took a moment to adjust and secure his breath mask before charging Havenstrite. Toryn found herself running into the fray, yelling as Havenstrite and Zuckuss grappled, trying to land a blow wherever an opening presented itself. Toryn ran up behind Zuckuss, grabbing his shoulders, trying to pull him off of Havenstrite. Zuckuss’s elbow shot back, bashing Toryn in the eye, sending her reeling backward with a sharp shout. Immediately, Zuckuss stopped and turned around. “Toryn?” Toryn’s hand was over her eye, her face knitted together in anger and confusion. She glared fiercely at Zuckuss. “What the hell is wrong with you?!” Zuckuss stood there dumbfounded. He held up his hands and took a cautious step forward. “Toryn, I…” “Seriously, what’s wrong with you?!” Toryn backed away, swiping her arm at the Gand. Zuckuss’s arms dropped to his sides and a hurt look flashed across his face. He let out a wordless wail, turning on the ball of his foot and running toward the door. Havenstrite caught him by the arm, throwing the Gand to the floor, digging his knee into the middle of his back as Havenstrite worked to pull Zuckuss’s arms behind him. Zuckuss writhed and shrieked, much less trying to fight as he was wanting to escape. He grated out something that, to Toryn, sounded like a garbled curse as he was hauled to his feet. He pulled and tugged and screamed, trying to wrench free from Havenstrite’s grasp. Havenstrite looked down at the screaming Gand he held tightly by the arms for a moment before turning his gaze to Toryn, one eyebrow raised, the creases of his forehead deepened and pronounced, his upper lip curled into a sneer of utter disgust. “What the hell is wrong with him,” Toryn could hear the obvious inquiry in her head. Boot steps thudded into the room like the hooves of draft animals, the security guards, three humans and two bulky droids, shoving themselves into the room, visored helmets protecting human faces, weapons drawn. The droids took up flanking positions on either side of the doorway, the humans approaching Havenstrite with his wailing mess. The largest of the guards stared at Zuckuss, wrinkling his nose at the behavior, then spoke to Havenstrite in an obviously-rehearsed emotionless drone. “What’s going on here?” Havenstrite shoved Zuckuss forward to indicate him, though the action was not even necessary as the Gand was doing a perfectly acceptable job of drawing attention to himself with the wriggling and shouting. “Aggravated assault against a military officer. This bounty hunter attacked myself and Commander Farr without provocation.” Toryn stumbled backward, shaking her head. “Sir… Zuckuss didn’t—” Both the guard and Havenstrite regarded Toryn with a parental gaze. The guard stepped forward, nodding. “Quite the shiner you got there, ma’am. You get that from that Gand?” “Yes, but—” The guard turned away from Toryn and faced Havenstrite. He looked down at Zuckuss still gripped firmly by the arms. The Gand’s screams had faded to quiet whimpering, his legs looking like they could barely support him as he practically hung by his arms. The guard nodded to Havenstrite. “Let him go.” Havenstrite sputtered. “Are you crazy?! This insect is a menace!” “Let him go. I want to see what he does.” Havenstrite hesitated for a moment, then did as he was told. Around him, the other guards brandished their weapons. Toryn blinked, stepping backward as she watched Zuckuss crumble to his hands and knees right there. The guard chuckled, walking around to get a better look. He tapped Zuckuss in the side with his nightstick and chuckled again. “Don’t seem like much of a menace to me.” Zuckuss let out another scream and grabbed the guard by the leg, pulling him to the floor. Almost immediately, the other guards were on top of the Gand, nightsticks swinging through the air, the sick thwack of impacts with the exoskeleton, forcing Zuckuss into submission. The light glinted off a pair of binders as they were clicked into place, the guards hoisting him into the air by his arms and ankles to prevent any chance of escape or further attack. As they carried him screaming to the door, Zuckuss shot Toryn a haunted look before disappearing around the corner, followed by the droids and the lead guard. Havenstrite stayed behind for a few moments longer, arms folded across his chest, his brow furrowed. “That breed of scum never change…” He gave Toryn a nod. “Go home and put some ice on that eye.” His arms dropping to his sides, his hands curled into loose fists, he left the room.
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