"Self Defense"

Posted on Mon Aug 3rd, 2026 @ 7:37pm by Lonian Royal Sovereignty & Lieutenant Damien Blackford

Mission: Season 6: Episode 7: Crossroads of Destiny
Location: Detention Centre, true location unknown
Timeline: After arrests
1444 words - 2.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Once the cuffs were secure, the guards hauled any prisoners who were on the ground to their feet and began guiding them into the centre. The ones who were struggling remained behind as guards fought to keep them under control.

On the other side of a set of doors was what looked like an intake office. A couple of consoles were positioned by half-walled cubbies. Another prisoner, a Lonian who happened to be arrested just before the Elysium crew, was led into one of those cubbies. Only his shoulders and head were visible over the wall. Shortly after he stopped in the middle of the cubby space, a transporter beam engulfed him for a couple seconds before his clothing was replaced with a grey shirt and grey pants. He was then led through a set of doors that hissed firmly shut behind them.

The guards had Damien stop at one of the cubbies so they could search him for weapons. The communicator was confiscated and disabled, and any personal items were put into a storage container. They then moved him toward the cubby, where a transporter pad circle could be seen on the ground. "Stand on the pad," the guard ordered.

Damien walked slowly forward, his expression stony and cold. He had a few cuts on his face and some marks that were clearly going to cause some bruising, but other than that, he seemed relatively unharmed. It wasn't so much that he had 'resisted arrest', but when the guards had attempted to arrest him, his training had kicked in, and he had naturally started fighting back.

Stopping outside the cubby, he refused to move forward, instead turning to the guard who had spoken. "Not until you tell what it is, and, more importantly, why I am here. Do you make it a habit to arrest visitors to your planet?"

"You were told your charges, prisoner. Get on the pad, and do not make me repeat myself," the guard, Pavok, replied. He then pushed Damien with about half force, enough to suggest that next time wouldn't be so nice.

Damien stumbled slightly as the guard pushed him, but he still stood his ground, turning his head to face his captor. “You claim I’m guilty of treason?” He queried. “How is that possible? I have never visited your planet before. Nor am I a member of your species.” He tried flexing his wrists, currently bound behind his back, and winced slightly. The cool metal dug into his skin, and every time he tried to move them, the edges of the shackles cut into him. He had no doubt that by the time he got them off, his wrists would bear small scars.

“I at least demand the right to contact my ship.” He said. “If I am to be tried for treason, aren’t I entitled to some form of legal representation?” He had no idea if he was even entitled to something like that under Lonian law. The only law course he had ever taken was Federation General Law during his first year at the Academy.

"Accomplice to treason," the guard snapped. Annoyed by the lack of compliance, he swung his fist to strike Damien across the face before shoving the man backwards.

Damien attempted to move out of the way of the strike, but stumbled slightly in the confined space, and grunted in mild pain as the fist connected. Before he could react, the shove forced him backwards onto the small pad, and in a flash of light, he found his clothing had changed to a grey shirt and trousers.

Scowling at the guard, he said. "Fine. Accomplice. I still demand to be allowed to contact my ship. Do you realise that you risk causing some kind of diplomatic incident with this stunt? Would your leaders really approve of the kidnapping of guests?"

"Who do you think issued the warrants?" Once the transport was done and the prisoner was in the proper attire, the guard, Navu, grabbed Damien's arm and tugged him forward. "Don't worry, you'll have a chance to prove your innocence." The words lacked the assurance that the sentence otherwise may have provided.

Damien's eyes narrowed at the guards words, and he opened his mouth to respond, but found himself stumbling forward as the guard dragged him forwards. He wrench his arm out of his grip. "I can walk just fine." He said, straightening himself up to his full height.

As they started walking, he glanced back over at his captor. "Even if your general did authorise the arrests, I highly doubt any Officer would authorise the assault and beatings of unarmed prisoners."

Despite the insistence of being able to walk himself, a guard's hand still found its way tightly around Damien's arm. "That is your fault for being a problem," Navu snorted. He led the prisoner to a reception area near the back of the room, where a woman with a scowl sat. Her hair was pulled back so tightly into a bun it almost gave her a poor face-lift, her pursed lips sported a browned lip gloss, and her fuller figure indicated that she was very content with desk jobs.

Damien's arm tensed as Navu gripped it once more, and he instinctivly attempted to jerk it out of his grip once more, before stopping, allowing himself, reluctantly, to be led down the hall, eyes darting around, taking note of his surroundings.

The female guard, Paeya, looked up at the newcomer as if he had disturbed her daily crossword puzzle. "Name." Her voice was brassy and grating, almost like an irritated lunch lady.

Damien looked at the new guard, staying silent for a few seconds, before quietly saying, "Lieutenant Damien Blackford. Security Officer, USS Elysium. Service Number, SD-842-195-ELY."

Paeya entered in the information. "Age and species."

Another few seconds, almost as if he was debating whether or not to answer. "Twenty-eight. Human." He eventually said. No use making things difficult. Not right now, at least.

"And you understand the Arresting Rights?"

Damien narrowed his eyes at the guard, trying to figure out if this was all some sort of sick joke. "No." He said, through gritted teeth. "No one has informed me of anything."

Paeya gave him a look that simply said she wasn't in the mood for jokes. A beat of silence settled between them before she conceded with a sigh, as if the whole thing were a massive inconvenience. "You have protection against self-incrimination, a right to due process, and a right to the fundamental preservation of life. You will be given an opportunity to make your case against the charges on record."

Damien couldn't help but let out a snort at her words. "Fundamental preservation of life, and a right to due process." He repeated. "And does that include allowing your guards to assault prisoners?" He asked, unable to keep a note of condescension out of his voice.

"You're still alive, aren't you?" Paeya replied as she entered information into the computer.

"You attacked them, what did you think would happen," Navu commented snarkily. "The guards acted in self defense."

“Self-defence?!” The words were out of Damien’s mouth, before he could stop himself. “They abducted me first. If anything, I was acting in self-defence!”

Ignoring whatever little bickering that came out of the prisoner, Paeya gestured to another console, this one with a Lonian who wore an open-faced grey vest over the blue uniform that stopped about mid-thigh. "The medic will take a blood sample to identify allergens and ensure your nutritional needs are met, then you'll be taken to holding."

Navu didn't wait. He grabbed Damien's arm and pulled him along.

Damien grunted as the guard grabbed him, pulling him away before he could even respond, stumbling as he was pushed to the next room.

Navu held Damien tightly as the medic pressed a hypospray to his shoulder, then he pushed Damien through to the next room. It contained a bunch of small holding cells unkind to the claustrophobic, but he didn’t stop at one. Instead, Damien was pushed forward to be led into the depths of the prison. As they moved through the space, they quickly passed Anna and N'vok, but the pace was quick enough to prevent any meaningful conversation.

As they passed by Anna and N’vok, Damien attempted to call out, but before he could utter a single word, he was pushed along, stumbling slightly as he attempted to resist the hurried pace, swearing softly under his breath.

The pair went through another set of doors, which soon shut behind them.