ENSLAVED *Easy*



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Acsull sat in a cage amongst half a dozen others, a cruel metal contraption clasped around his neck. The sky was dark with smog and dust, the distant sounds of metal clanging off rock and the shuffling of heavy boots in the loose earth reverberated through his namekian ears. towering buildings of brick and metal surrounded the cages, billowing pillar-like smokestacks sending massive billowing smoke-clouds up into the already polluted sky. One could smell the burning of metal in those buildings, even from out here, the visceral hiss of hot iron in cooling tanks and the goopy drip-drip-drip of slag being poured into molds. He had witnessed people in the cages beside him, men and women PULLED from their confinement by men in oddly thick black leather cloaks, their faces covered in unnerving metal masks. They would then, together, disappear inside one of the buildings... and they would never come out. Even now, he didn't know how it happened, him arriving in this terrible place. He had been sleeping one morning after a particularly ferocious image-training session only to awaken in this cage! This damned collar... He could feel it biting is throat as he PULLED at it, threatening to draw blood if he pried at it too hard. Its surface was rough, jagged, as if the metal had been rusting in the sun for years before it was made into... this. Or perhaps it was forged from the slag pried out of the scrap and ore scattered around this place. He sometimes saw these humans these... "slaves" as the leather-coats referred to them, dragging ancient, abandoned vehicles, girders and metalic plates from the surroundings of the camp, dragging them back via ropes and manpower, receiving agonizing beatings if they moved to slow or defied their masters openly. 

...Acsull... was revolted... But he could do nothing to aid his fellow captives. The collar, you see... Every time he tried to gather his ki in any meaningful way, it would be sapped into the machine faster than he could shape it! His power... was being syphoned off like a great parasite upon the back of an animal! Some of the other slaves had collars, others did not. It seemed that Acsull was not the first warrior they had put to work on this planet. Some were almost as fresh as he and just as disoriented, resisting when they were pulled out of their cages, only to be beaten down by the leather-coats. 

...For a full day, he believed, Acsull had sat in his cage, doing his best to cross his legs in a meditative stance within the confines of the cramped, barred interior. He had to wait... bide his time if he was going to make any kind of play in this place. He cared for the suffering of the slaves, TRULY, he did, but of what use would he be if he had this blasted collar subjecting him to weakness? The elders had taught that, in the event they were taken, and subjugated, direct resistance may not always be the optimal way of attaining one's freedom. He may have to wait for an opening, lest his own life be taken in the attempt. ...And so, Acsull closed his eyes and aimed to focus his mind... But he did not shut out the screams, the sounds, the pain of his fellow slaves. No, he would not. Images of his village being ravaged by that... monster flashed across the mind of Acsull, his inability to defend them resulting in not only his own humiliation, but also damages that could have been avoided... if only he were stronger... SMARTER. 

...He let those sounds strengthen his will... and Acsull began to experiment. While the leather-coats nearest to him were busy dealing with another rebellious slave, the Namekian began experimenting with the tools he had available. His strength, speed and durability were all substantially reduced, perhaps weaker than that of a normal human, but, unlike humans, he was still able to stretch. It was an agonizing thing, elongating his arm an inch at a time to avoid being spotted, but this was a tool the guards, likely wouldn't be expecting. They were callous, cautious but also cocky. They stayed far enough from the cages that they couldn't be grabbed by any uppity captive, but they also had their backs turned to the cages.

"...They think that just because we're weak, we're defenseless..." Acsull noted under his breath. "...Big mistake."

A scream reverberated through the camp as leather-coat SLAMMED a club across the head of the resisting slave. He went down in a heap... and did not rise. Acsull's eyes widened at the sheer callous CRUELTY of it all, another one kicking the head of the dead slave and a third seemingly laughing, his voice muffled by his mask! Rage SPARKED across the Namekian's nerves, a burning hate BOILING in his blood... but then he noticed something. One of the bigger Leather-coats pulled something from his belt, a small remote-like object which he pointed at the slave's body. With a click of a button, the collar unlatched, allowing the leather-coat to scoop it up and tuck it inside his cloak. 

"...So that's how it is..." Acsull rumbled, his scowl twisting upwards into a smirk of dark resolution. "Fine. Just have to wait for him to get closer."

...As it happened, such a time would come soon. The larger leather-coat would come up to the front of Acsull's cage, unlocking the gate-like door with the very same remote he had used to unlock the collars!

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Acsull YELLED, making his move! The namekian's arm would LASH out like a snake lunging for its prey, his hand SNATCHING the remote out of the guard's hand before he could realize what was happening! Raising the remote to his neck, Acsull clicked the button just as the leather-coat withdrew an odd pistol-like weapon from the confines of his coat...

BOOM!

"RRAAAAAAAAAUAAAAAH!" Acsull SCREAMED, a massive SURGE of ki erupting from his body! The sheer OUTPUT BLEW away the cage, the guards, the rubble, even some of the slaves that had, unfortunately, been too close! Slowly, the Namekian would rise, RIP the collar from his neck and CRUSH it in his hand, throwing away the now obliterated enslavement device and stepping out into the camp.

"...Alright. Lets get to work..."


.....In a matter of hours, the entire camp was undone. Leather-coats lay in the very cages they had left their slaves, collars latched around their necks and some.... with multiple of them around their arms and legs! Several were locked in cages meant to only house one, Acsull having thrown the key in sight of them... but WELL out of reach, leaving them to their fate. The slaves, however, were freed, and the Namekian had taken the time to ferry each one to their hometown since none were fit enough to make it on their own.

They were free... And Acsull felt good... At least this way, everyone had gotten what they deserved.

WC: 1283