Chapter 15 - Planning

The next few days, Krynn, Relik, and Tyra all got up as Torture came around banging on the bars, ate only the bread they received in the morning, and worked all day stripping metal. Their bodies were quickly reduced to the same figure as those around them, though the defiance that they had when they were originally captured had not dwindled. Their hands already bore scars, as did their backs.

The days passed uneventfully, with few conversations taking place with Kysandra, and no conversations with Pulse. They did come to meet some other people, such as Hylik, the former boyfriend of Kysandra before they were captured, and Sylva, the only female there besides Kysandra and Tyra.

This day was a particularly hot one, and the slaves spent most of their time working in the shade. Krynn and Hylik were talking in the corner.

"So how long ago were you captured, Hylik?"

"Must've been some two or three years ago. I'm lucky. I've stayed alive pretty well."

"You mean most don't make it that long?"

"No, most make a mistake somewhere and get executed by Torture, like the man you saw killed the night you arrived.

"I'll tell you though, if I ever manage to come up with a good plan of escape and die because of it, that would be a worthwhile cause to me."

They separated and went back to work. Krynn told Relik and Tyra about his conversation. During the heat of the day, they began speaking of a plan.

It would be a daring one indeed, and would most certainly cost them their lives if they were caught. However, it should be able to free every one of the slaves, and hopefully kill both Torture and Leader - or at least Torture.

The plan would involve rebelling when Torture made his checks at the end of the day to see to it that everyone was working properly. They would have to jump him, which could prove difficult as the other members of the Order carried weapons with them during the check.

Still, death at the hands of a blaster is a peaceful death in comparison to the torment that Torture would be able to inflict on them.

And so they discussed these matters further in the coming days, doing so only when they were sure that no minions of the Order would be around in which to eavesdrop and report.

After days of debating and discussion, they had finally worked out a plan. It would involve Pulse purposefully not working for a day. When Torture began beating him, he would have to grab the whip and try to hurl Torture to the ground. Simultaneously, the others would revolt against the guards that were with Torture. So long as they could take the weapons from the guards, the plan would work perfectly.

After they had guns, they would travel back into the subway system and shoot the guards, while freeing any slaves who were, for whatever reason, still locked up in their cells. They would shoot the dogs so that they were unable to be tracked. And then they would travel down through the tunnels and shoot Leader. "Let the kryon son burn," Hylik had said.

The plan would have to wait for some time. Torture would be more likely to expect a rebellion only a week or so after new prisoners had arrived. And so they would wait, in order to have a better chance of catching him off guard.

Obviously some still had their doubts. One day, Kysandra walked up to Tyra and spoke with her.

"May I speak with you, Tyra?"

"Of course, Kysandra."

"I'm not entirely sure that our plan will work. And what if it doesn't? We'll all die for sure. This plan is doomed to failure."

Tyra was unable to convince Kysandra, and she too was concerned. Everyone would need some convincing or else the plan would surely not work.