[Center][h2]Professional Blacksmith - Aftermath[/h2]
[sub]Collab with [@Xandrya] and [@Rawk][/sub][/center]


Warden Marcus Harrisen switched off the earpiece communicator and sat back in the leather armchair within his office, staring out the small window and across the corridor toward the interrogation room which currently held Doctor Melanie Larson and the cyborg known as Chizuru "Iron" Yama-uchi. He received the inevitable call from Deputy Jerrol Haas - via instructions from Chief Gavon TreVayne - that Irons was to be released from custody based on a series of legal “technicalities” preventing any further prosecution. However, considering the circumstances of the cyborg's initial discovery and falsified identification in order to slip onto the Ark undetected, conditions would still need to be met in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the Vitae’s crew. 

He eventually made his way to the holding room, where it appeared Doctor Larson was wrapping up her evaluation with the cyborg, and stood at the end of the table with his hands folded in front as he addressed Chizuru. 

“You’re free to go, as clearly you have an ally looking out for your…[i]interests[/i].” The Warden’s tone of voice and expression showed little compassion for the situation as he continued without missing a beat. “However, per Admiral Locke and the welfare of this ship and its crew, you will be assigned temporary quarters near SecCen and subjected to 'round-the-clock supervision until your psychological evaluation results have been processed and cleared by Doctor Larson.” 

He motioned with one hand to the woman sitting across from the cyborg before continuing.

“In addition, you will be required to have a full systems diagnostic performed by a certified technician, with routine check-ups as needed, and access to this ship will be restricted to all non-essential areas only. Are there any questions?”

The cyborg's face contorted visibly at the warden's words. An ally looking out for her interests? Her guesses for the meaning of this development were all on a scale between 'bad' and 'horrible'... well, there was also the Chief Engineer, but she never did find out what his motives were. In fact -

"Yes, I have questions." her coarse voice conveyed distress. "What kind of allies do I have that somehow make the chief of security release an unevaluated threat into the ship? I mean, not to bite the hand that feeds me here, but Mr. TreVayne's conditions for my release are logical and acceptable. What changed?"

Chizuru threw a look at Dr. Larson's direction, gauging for response at this event. She also hoped she would be able to see a hint of the evaluation result.

"Chizuru, these matters could very well be above Chief TreVayne's paygrade." Even though Melanie didn't want to get involved in such matters of security surrounding Chizuru's freedom, she too couldn't help but wonder where the sudden change of heart had come from that had led them to cut her loose. Yet once more, the cyborg's [i]need[/i] to question their methods made Melanie wonder whether her discussion with Admiral Locke would be a favorable one regarding Chizuru's status. 

"This may be the case, as Miss Larson has pointed out." The Warden added. "Although I believe the correct answer to your question is that no such [i]'ally'[/i] would allow legalistic absolutes to get in the way of common sense...but that's all I can comment on the matter." 

Harrisen turned to the guard nearby who then handed him a thin datapad. 

"So without further delay." He continued, keying in some information on the small computer. "You are officially released from my custody and allowed restricted access through the ship at your leisure, shadowed by two plain-clothes Agents. Furthermore, your locations -whether static or roaming- will be monitored by our ship's A.I. and, or course any unauthorized and/or criminal activity will void this agreement." Harrisen looked up from the screen for a moment at the cyborg, raising a bushy eyebrow and causing his forehead to crease. "So please do not make me regret allowing you freedom, Chizuru Yama-uchi."

"What the hell..." the cyborg hissed through her teeth. "Wait, is Mr. TreVayne available? I don't want this to ruin everything..." She gave Harrisen the same hopeless gaze one gives to a government clerk when facing an illogical bureaucratic wall without the know-how to bypass it.

But then there was a change in Chizuru's face. An internal struggle gained more and more of her attention. She forced her eyes shut, as if her thoughts pained her.

"No." she rose from her seat and at that moment, Harrisen took half a step back and shouted “Sit down Miss Yama-uchi!”, his deep booming voice echoed off the metallic walls -alerting the two guards outside the door- only to be overshadowed by the cyborgs continous efforts to make a point. 

 "This is wrong." She continued. "No bureaucratic bullshit should ever win over common sense, or more importantly, the safety of the human race." She struggled for words, as if boiling from within. "Look,"

Her arm flew sideways. A dozen loose plates around her forearm spiraled forward, forming a wide black blade that pointed outward above her palm. There was a sudden pressure in the air of the room, and Melanie noticed the ends of her hair curling upwards slightly, as small arcs of energy began walking the blade's length, discharging into the air around its point.

A single taser round from the lead guard's assault rifle was discharged, ricocheting wide off the cyborg's metal skull plate armor, towards the unfortunate position of the only civilian in the room.

"Shit!"

Melanie's reaction was not one she would particularly be proud of, but given the circumstances, who could blame her. She dropped her belongings to clutch her neck as soon as the charged tip of the taser made contact with her skin. As if the pain wasn't bad enough, her vision also faltered, and she had to lean forward on the desk for support before her legs completely failed her.

"Warden...I think--I'm gonna be sick."

"Stand down Agent!" Harrisen held his hand out toward the guard. "Dammit." He exclaimed, seeing Doctor Larson hunched over the table holding her neck as he ran to her side and simutaneously opening communication in his earpiece. "Code Red18, medical assistant needed in Interrogation Room 2, electrical shock to the neck, possible paralysis..." 

"I'm not sure they'll...make it on time..."

Melanie felt a wave of nausea invade her system as her skin became sweaty and cold to the touch. She reached for the warden in an attempt to communicate to him the terrible symptoms she was experiencing, but the little strength she had left her just as her vision got worse. Without warning, Melanie dropped to the ground, missing the edge of the table which could have seriously innjured her had she not been as lucky. 

Meanwhile, the cyborg's first reaction was to grab the table's edge from below to flip it at the guards, the sword already retracted into her arm. The fact that it was bolted into the floor slowed her down enough to notice the Psychiatrist collapse. With an unnerving catlike motion the black-clad prisoner leaped under the table to position herself between Melanie and the doorway.

"Dr. Larson!" she reached out to turn the limp woman over, but quickly realized it would be similar to picking her up with scissors. Returning to an upright position, she looked at the Warden. "I haven't realized how on edge your men were! I can't do anything for her..."

The Warden shot Chizuru a look of contempt. 

"And what the hell did you expect during an otherwise 'peaceful' negotiation where a cybernetically enhanced super-soldier such as yourself suddenly decides it would be wise to abruptly stand and pop open like a goddamn utility knife?"  

Harrisen pressed his fingers against Doctor Larson's neck. "Her pulse is slowing..."

"I don't know what is it that you want." He finally said as he looked straight into the cyborg's dark eyes. "But if you're as honorable as you claim to be, then my suggestion is that you stay put in the cell we initially placed you in until further notice. Clearly we were wrong to grant such concessions to a being we hardly understand..."

Chizuru held Harrisen's glare for a moment, then collapsed into the chair previously occupied by Dr. Larson. She was quick to return to her original train of thought, as there was nothing she could do for the Doctor. "Perfect." she exhaled. "That's actually [i]exactly[/i] what I wanted." She looked at her hands as the claws retracted. "You and your boss are in control again, Mr. Harrisen. Until I pass physical, technical, psychological and personality evaluations, I should stay here, despite what legal technicalities may suggest."

The cyborg gave the room's camera a "Let it be known that putting me under surveillance of two guards outside of a cell is a joke. Either release me fully after satisfactory testing, or test me further until satisfied" look.

The Medical team, along with a small supply droid and a gurney, entered the brig and hustled toward the interrogration room. After a quick scan of the woman's vitals and a few words with the Warden on what had transpired, they eased Melanie onto the gurney, which hovered a few inches from the metal floor, and quickly headed for the [i]med-evac[/i] transport that would take them to the nearest med-bay. 

"Escort Miss Yama-uchi back to her cell." Warden Harrisen motioned to the guards. "I think we've had enough excitement this evening."