Capture is just an inconvenience!

Sari tried to wobble the wooden chair that her arms were bound so tightly to. If she could force it to topple, she could crawl to the table. And on the table, a dirty bottle filled with her way out. She attempted once, twice, again and again. It was no good. The mountain rebels had done too good a job and she was weak, so weak.

The wooden hut around her creaked as the snow storm threw itself against it. The wind sounded furious, trying to rip this place off the face of Lume. Sari listened desperately for the sound of her captors return but it seemed an impossible task. There was just the sound of the wind and her own breathing. A breath of freezing damp smelling air in, a gasp of steam out. It was cold as fuck! But it wasn't anything a hot blooded Kotlai girl such as her couldn't handle. She was strong, strong enough to take these men, if only she had her strength. If only she had Snellin; her Nooch. If only she had that bottle. So many 'If onlys'.

Suddenly she heard voices. They were returning to question her. Not that she would tell them anything, army training had taught her how to deal with professional interrogation. These men were just amateurs. Still though, this was an inconvenience.

She gave the chair a final rock with all her effort. It tipped, holding for a second before tumbling sideways. With a crash and a sear of pain, she was free. Sari began to crawl, weak from three days with no food and from her bruises, towards the table. The footsteps of the rebels came thundering closer, they must have heard the crash. Gasping for air, she crawled faster, the entangled ropes and pieces of chair pulling her back. She reached the table as the men charged in, lead by a big ugly bearded brute.

"Stop her" he yelled "don't let her drink the vodka!"

But it was far too late. Sari gasped as the spirit burned her throat. It warmed her insides and strengthened her resolve. Sari felt her strength flood back. In a shower of fire, wood, snow and screaming men, the hut exploded. Within seconds the structure was reduced to blackened shrapnel and in the middle stood Sari, letting the fire die in her hand. She took another gulp of vodka and then threw the bottle at a man trying to escape the flames. With a scream he also exploded into flames. Picking up a bayoneted musket, sari started to run. Scattered shots ricocheted into trees around her, mainly from an older man and what looked like his teenage son. Sprinting forward before they could load another shot she leapt over the boulder they hid so cowardly behind and skewered the man with her bayonette.

"Faaaaather!" the boy cried. In response Sari pulled the trigger and the dying man was nearly cut in half by the smokey shot. Ducking under a clumsy sword swing from the son, she grabbed his hand in hers and fast heated it. The boy screamed out as his skin melted and dropped the sword. Sari threw him down.

"You boy, I want you to send a message" she sneered "to your commanders. can you do that?"

The boy nodded silently, tears in his eyes.

"If this stupid rebellion hasn't ended by winter, every one of you will end up...well like your dear father here."

The boy nodded again. And with a smile, Sari dropped his hand and stomped off through the show drift, the snow overflowing down into her soft seal fur boots. She felt no remorse for her actions. No guilt. She was a soldier of Kotlas. Her only thoughts were on how she would refind her Nooch before nightfall. The Sullen were a constant threat and she had a long way to travel.