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Quid Pro Quo

Chapter 8

Summary:

Entrapta finds answers; Hordak finds trouble.

Notes:

I live!! I keep having a desire to come back to this, so I'll keep updating until it's done. It'll take longer because I'm doing less writing per day, but I've gotten feedback that people are willing to wait!! Thank you so much for reading and being a fan, you're awesome

Chapter Text

To say there was tension in the Control Room would be an understatement.

Adora remained with Catra and Hordak where they lay, trapped in Prime’s chair. She, however, was watching Bow, Glimmer, and Kadroh with apprehension. The three of them were trying not to crowd Entrapta, both literally and figuratively.

It was difficult not to. If Adora had less restraint, she would be rushing to her as well.

This moment was supposed to be happy, she thought sadly. Adora remembered how elated everyone had been- Entrapta included- when Mermista had announced she was going to have a boy. New life was beautiful, wonderful.

Adora still did, above all else, feel happy for Entrapta. Hordak, too. He’d never said it, but he often marveled and pondered aloud the mysteries of life- conversations with himself that he would occasionally allow Adora to give input in. It came as a result of his exterminations with creating a new body; a sinister dream that had, over time, grown into a desire far more human.

He’d concluded that, due to Prime’s manipulation and oppression, the likelihood that any of his Brothers would be able to have families was impossible. It was unstated, but the forlorn expression he’d taken had been enough to tell Adora what he meant. Hordak believed that was true of himself, as well.

But he was wrong, apparently. Now wasn’t the best time to learn that.

Entrapta slowly sank into her chair, hand on her visor. She had yet to pull it down, though she certainly looked like she wanted to. Her expression was difficult to read; stunned, clearly, but Adora could see the gears turning behind her eyes.

Her ability to be a caregiver- the physical act of raising a child- wasn’t the issue. Entrapta could easily learn the best child-raising methods in under an hour, and understand every theory in less. She could build an army of robots to tend to the kid, keeping them happy forever.

Yet Entrapta was overwhelmed, her expression pallid and anxious. There was more to being a parent than providing food and shelter- things that Entrapta didn’t know, and had no idea about. To her, the very idea of being a proper mother was a monumental task.

Adora could relate on a fundamental level. She almost considered Entrapta lucky for having a robot mother instead of a primary antagonist. She knew which one she’d rather have.

Unlike Adora, though, there had been pressure on Entrapta to have children. Outside forces that painted the entire ordeal with an inaccurate brush; as though it was a task she had to complete for others. From what Adora had seen, that pressure was just enough to be concerning, and at an age that was unsettling.

Entrapta borderline ignored the concept as a way to protect herself, and understandably so. Now, however, she had to finally address and think about it. And she… couldn’t. When she tried to rationalize it all to herself, her mind only chased its tail. All she could think about was Hordak, and how badly she wished he was awake. He could tell her that it was okay; that they’d figure it out together, like they always did. He’d also be panicking way more than she was, which usually helped her focus.

“Hey, this is good, isn’t it?” Glimmer offered, voice wavering slightly. “I-I mean, it’s just a baby, right? Humans make other humans. And Entrapta is a human! So, what? Your kid may come out with an undercut? That’s really in right now!!”

The alien amongst them sucked air through his sharp teeth, head tilting away from the group. “I… I hate to inform you, Glimmer, but that may not be the case,” Kadroh responded hesitantly. “This is… Unprecedented. We’ve never delved into our compatibility with other creatures. We were not meant to… Ah… breed, if that is the proper term. Not with your kind.”

Adora cringed. “It’s really not…”

Entrapta whined under her breath. That was the other issue. It wasn’t just a baby. Hordak was the clone of a very old species, with no clear relative. There was no telling how many folds there were to his DNA; how many times Prime had cloned his clones, manipulating their genetic structure to his desires. Knowing that, both she and Hordak had assumed with great confidence that they were completely incompatible.

She also knew, deep down, that there was always a slight chance her hypothesis was wrong. His mutation was a wild variable in every test they did- why he often gave up in his own study. It was a point of frustration for him, and he wouldn’t get near it. Entrapta knew the best way to achieve more concrete results, but she hadn’t put him through the humiliating process of testing… Yet.

Now, however, Entrapta desperately wished she had been more studious in her data collection, Hordak’s pride be damned. She had just been swept up by what was, by all accounts, a fairy-tale ending- getting married to the guy of her dreams after saving the Universe. Afterwards, her focus was always put towards the things she and Hordak made together.

…Which, in hindsight, was what got her into this predicament. She quietly hid her face with her visor.

As she thought to herself, the others had continued to discuss their course of action. “Entrapta will have to be analyzed by our Brothers in the medical bay to know if this is a serious, life-threatening medical emergency or not,” Kadroh pointed out, choosing his words very carefully, but still very incorrectly. “They specialize in medicine and wellbeing! Regardless of what is inside Entrapta, they’ll be able to help her with its ejection!”

Bow pinched the bridge of his nose. “Kadroh, we need to have a very long conversation on how to speak to pregnant women.”

“Oh… Was that wrong of me to say?”

Yes.”

“What part???”

“Every part!!!”

Glimmer narrowed her eyes at the two of them. Her head sharply gestured to Entrapta, who appeared to be trying to sink into the floor at the sound of their fighting. The Queen of Bright Moon didn’t have to tell them to shut up- her glare alone said it with far more venom than her mouth ever could.

Adora, meanwhile, approached the Queen of Dryl with a softened gaze. She placed her hand on Entrapta’s shoulder, kneeling until they were eye-to-eye. Though Entrapta wasn’t looking at her, Adora knew she could see her.

She didn’t speak, at first; she wasn’t sure what the best thing to say was. There was… a lot to take in. A lot happening at once.

“We’re here for you,” Adora settled on. “What do you-“

In a sudden rush of lilac, Entrapta lifted herself off her chair. Adora had to stumble back to avoid being overwhelmed by the surge of hair, her eyes widening in alarm as the woman’s smaller stature rose high above their heads.

Entrapta hovered momentarily, her dizziness sending her slightly off kilter. She looked down at her friends, offering a reassuring smile. When she saw confused and worried expressions back, she blinked owlishly, head cocked to one side.

“… Oh!! Right!! I should say where I’m going, right?” She cackled, but it was short, stifled by a nauseated groan. “Figured it was obvious… Kadroh is right. I’m going to take the vents to the medical bay!! It’ll be faster.”

The pause to stop surprised Adora, but it warmed her heart to the brim. “We’ll meet you there,” she said, giving her a thumbs-up.

Without any further exchange, Entrapta propelled herself to the exit and took a sharp left, her hair a flurry of grasping tendrils and appendages.

“Careful, please!! You could have a baby inside you!!!”

The reminder was ignored, which should have been expected. There was a familiar echo of a vent dropping to the floor just out of sight, followed by a chorus of banging metal.

Each sound made the four of them wince. They didn’t know how far along she was yet; she could seriously hurt herself and the baby. There was simply no point fighting her on using the vents, though… She was too smart to argue with on the issue. The big words made Adora's head ache.

“The clones in the medical bay can actually figure out what’s going on, right?” Glimmer asked, already visualizing the inside of the Horde Ship for teleportation.

Kadroh’s face was crestfallen, his hands clasped nervously at his chest. “Without a doubt, they can find the answer. Our technology is unparalleled. It was forbidden for us to conduct the research, but we have always been capable of doing it. I doubt she’d find better answers anywhere else on Etheria.”

“Then we're going too,” Was her quick response. Glimmer grasped Adora’s sleeve, her head turning to Bow to address him.

However, as if knowing what she’d ask, Bow moved to replace Entrapta’s place at the command module. “Kadroh and I got everything under control, here... I’ll call you on the datapad if something develops,” he reassured, smiling fondly as he gave her a nod. “Go help Entrapta.”

Glimmer grinned. “You’re just the best, Bow. I love you.”

He blinked, eyes growing to be the size of saucers. “…Love you, too?” He responded hesitantly, his eyes darting to the others among them. “A-Are we saying that in public now, or…?”

Adora fixed her gazed pointedly on Glimmer, her expression far more disbelieving. “What do you-“

Before she could finish her question, however, Adora was overtaken by a whirl of glitter and stardust.

Now, instead of Prime’s control room, with its vast ceiling and high walls lined with dead or dying versions of himself, Adora saw a far smaller room with ceilings only a few feet taller than the clones themselves. Medical cots lined the walls next to pods, the thin beds covered with thick, off-white curtains. The room was, like the rest of Prime’s ship, limited to a pallet of white and green.

“… What do you mean, ‘publicly’?”

 “Not important right now. It’s fine, I’ve got it handled.”

“Glimmer, I only have more questions, now.”

“Shh!!”

Neither Adora nor Glimmer could see Entrapta immediately, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be there soon. There was a vent system that led straight to the medical bay, and that had been the very one Entrapta had taken.

A clone rather immediately came to their attention, bowing deeply at their presence. “Queen Glimmer, She-Ra. What an honor to have you in our midst,” they greeted, raising themselves upright with a graceful flourish.

“Please- if you require first aid, allow me to treat you. I am the most Senior medical clone in this facility. My qualifications far exceed my compatriots-”

“Yeah, whatever, old man!!!” Another clone brashly interjected, the slight chirp to his voice pronounced. “Prime would always tell me my hand was the most delicate.” He shoved a tray of bandages into their arms, huffing petulantly. “If you’re so great, why don’t you bandage up our Brother? He was bit by a demon-!“

“He was bit by a squirrel, and he’ll live,” The senior shot back, forcing the tray back into his Brother's hands. They must have rolled their eyes- the head motion was so similar to when Hordak did it.  

The clone had so casually greeted the two princesses, the girls almost overlooked their appearances. However, as more clones came out from behind the curtains and doors to see the commotion, it became the only thing the two could notice.

Their eyes and teeth had been green before, and their hair had been a pure, unsullied white. Now, the clones were developing a mixture of blue, red, and purple variations. The color for their eyes and teeth was different than the one for their hair, but every clone had a combination of two of the three colors. It was so small, it was almost unnoticeable- yet, clearly, they all were affected. The eldest the most; their eyes were sea-green, their hair the faintest lavender.

The senior clone seemed to realize why their guests were no longer responding, and gave a small hum. “Oh, yes… Our appearances. We all just started experiencing this... When was it?” They looked to a blue and purple clone.

“About an hour ago,” they piped up, plucking at their slightly longer hair curiously.

“Yes, yes. An hour ago. It happened simultaneously with Prime’s disconnection and Hordak’s reconnection, I believe.” The senior rubbed their chin thoughtfully, turning to their other Brothers. “Very curious, indeed… I did conclude that it was nothing to be concerned about, however. We are simply acclimating to our new Prime, as we always do.”

“Except he’s not Prime,” Adora said, quickly and firmly.

“And if that was case, you’d all have blue and red eyes like he did,” Glimmer pointed out.

Adora groaned, continuing to mutter as she began to pace, her fingers massaging her temples. “As if we didn’t have enough to worry about… Entrapta’s pregnant, Hordak’s trapped in some freakish mind space, and you guys are turning blue!!!”

At this point, her entire life felt like a long-running children’s action series, and not in the good way.

“I’m turning pink, actually!!!” Another clone proudly declared, leaning over Glimmer’s shoulder and slightly startling her. “You should let me help you. I feel so happy about everything now, and I want to help ease your pain and sadness!!”

“We will all help the She-Ra. It our duty to protect our liberators,” the senior member declared, their tone stealing the playfulness from the clones around them.

The senior blinked once, their ears twitching  wildly. As the other clones copied them, the senior's head sharply turned upwards. “… The Princess of Dryl is approaching. I am to understand she is with child?” they asked.

Adora nodded stiffly, eyebrows furrowing.

“…I feel foolish for asking, but-“

“Yes, it’s Hordak.”

At that, the senior cringed. “Ah. Hence the raised adrenaline. Yes, I see. That is very concerning.” With a small breath, they straightened their back. “There is no need for worry, She-Ra. No matter the situation, we are equipped to handle it.”

The flurry of banging and thudding became noticeable to the humans’ ears, then. A second later, Entrapta predictably burst through the vent, catching herself as the hatch crashed to the floor beneath her.

She looked surprised to see Adora and Glimmer, but only momentarily. “Aww, you beat me here…” she grumbled. She dropped down with a small sigh.

“We rushed to make sure you don’t try to dissect yourself,” Glimmer teased, only slightly meaning it.

Entrapta sighed again, much longer and more resigned. “I considered it… That’s why I came here for scalpels. I’ll need them.”

No.”  

Without pause, Entrapta began to drag various pieces of equipment to her side, taking the tray of bandages right out of a clone’s hands. None of them were sharp, but the strands of her hair were looking.

“If I may,” The senior began, gently placing their hand on her arm. “That level of investigation is barbaric and unnecessary by our modern standards. Our technology can analyze anything disturbing a creature using a simple blood test.”

“…Oh! In that case!” Entrapta chirped, dropping everything in a shower of bandages and cotton swabs. She fanned her face, cackling halfheartedly as her hair returned to its more natural state.

“Phew! All that mental preparation for nothing! My reading on anesthetics is pretty shabby, too, and that would have been a big problem…”

The senior chuckled politely. “Please relax, Queen Entrapta. You will need to be for us to extract the sample.”

Carefully, they led her to a cot, helping her sit as they pulled the curtain back. The other clones, like flipping a switch, quickly set about their programmed tasks. They scattered about, passing key cards to one another as they opened doors on the far end of the room. The machines they procured from these side rooms looked foreign even to Entrapta’s eyes, but their screens gave allusion to their use. Briskly, they were placed around the group, providing them with instant feedback.

An individual clone brought their senior a white baton. Delicately, they placed it into their hand with a small bow. The senior gave them an approving nod, using their thumb to twist the cap off with a whirl. It revealed a needle the length of Adora’s thumbnail, which gleamed in the artificial lighting of the medical bay. Upon exposure to open air, a small panel popped open on the side of the device, revealing an empty gauge.

“Look away, if you must. It will take a minute.”

Entrapta’s eyes widened. “Ohhh, I wanna watch!! This is fascinating!!” She cried, jutting out her arm. “Tell me more about this extraction device!! Does it use any sort of suction mechanism?”

Seeing that as a good opportunity to begin, the clone did just that, holding Entrapta’s arm aloft as they explained the device's use and structure. Without warning or hesitation, they carefully pierced her skin with the needle. With her distracted by the explanation, she barely flinched, nodding sagely as she absorbed every detail.

Instead of counting out the seconds, as expected, the clone hummed a small tune. It rang strangely in Adora’s ears- as though the vibrations of the sound sank into her bones, filling her with a sense of peace. Entrapta, as well, closed her eyes, her arm growing slack in the clone’s gentle grip.

“Oh… Pardon me. I have noticed that it pleases creatures to emit vibrations like that,” the senior explained, taking the device away. They checked the gauge, now dark red. Satisfied with this, they passed the device to the same clone that gave it to them.

Entrapta shook her head, smiling brightly. “Hordak likes singing too!! Music in general. It makes him really happy.”

“Sing-ing? Mu-sic? Curious… I had no idea it was something that common. Yes, I do like making noises with my mouth and throat.”

The other clones looked to each other. “…We… All do,” one admitted. “We sing to each other often. It makes us… Feel nice things.”

Entrapta’s eyes glinted. “When did that start…?”

“Oh… When the She-Ra set us free. We assume it’s because we’re clones. We are all the same, after all…”

Adora crossed her arms at that. Clearly not, she thought, if they all turned different colors. Even the ones that were the same color weren’t the same- some were darker or lighter than their alike colors. Really, there was quite a spectrum amongst them.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud beep. She turned on her heel to view the monitors, Glimmer following quickly.

Entrapta tried to move to a better vantage point, but she let out a low groan and laid back. “I need water… My head hurts…” she mumbled sleepily.

The senior looked at her with a cocked brow. “It wasn’t even a pint…“ They trailed off, simultaneously turning their attention to a screen as it flashed red.

They gasped at what they saw, quickly moving to the keyboard underneath it. “Goodness. You are proficiently lacking in most of your necessary vitamins. Dangerously so!! One of you, give her a nutrient infusion, now!!” they barked. “Try to find some medication that treats pre-natal sickness as well. If you can’t find any, make some.”

“Of course, Brother! Right away!”

The senior clone squinted at their monitor, further reading Entrapta’s blood analysis. Adora and Glimmer could only stare in confused awe at the loading data, the numbers in a language they couldn’t possibly understand.  

“That’s…Odd… It’s draining you of your life force.” The senior mumbled, head cocking to one side. “However, it doesn’t seem parasitic… the fetus simply requires a vast amount of energy to grow.”

Entrapta gulped, lifting her head slightly. “And that means…?” She asked, voice betraying her nerves again.

The senior offered them a calm smile. “Breathe easily,” they reassured, bringing the monitor closer to her. “While your vitamin levels are low, they are easy to replenish. Your offspring’s status is stable as well. That seems to be what’s causing you such physical distress, actually- it is growing with such gusto, which is causing strain on your body.”

Adora let out a long sigh. “Oh, thank Etheria, she’s not dying…”

Glimmer nodded soundly in agreement. “Does that mean I can be excited about this, now? It’s getting hard to hold it in…”

The senior, however, cringed slightly, clasping their hands together. “… However,” they continue with a careful tone. “You are currently carrying one of our Brothers.”

Glimmer bawked. “She’s carrying a what? No, that can’t be right. That goes against the rules of nature!!”

The senior looked horribly offended, recoiling with a loud scoff. “I was born to analyze this data, and I am more than aware of our kind!! I recognize the specs of our fetal stages,” they defended with a raised voice. “The child will be of the Horde!!”

That made the scientist shoot up from her laying position, her eyes now containing a near gleam. “You mean… My child will be an alien? A natural offspring of your species?” She asked, the sparkling of her magenta orbs steadily growing.

“It… appears that way, yes.”

There was but a moment of silence, but it was destroyed by Entrapta absolute crow of jubilee.

“AN ALIEN!!! I’M GOING TO BE AN ALIEN MOM!!!” She cried. “Ohhh, This changes EVERYTHING. I’ll be able to watch them develop and learn more about the Horde as a species!!! The data will be IMMEASURABLE in value!! And they’ll definitely be so intelligent, I’ll have another helper!!”

She attempted to lift herself off the cot; however, the senior rushed to stop her, gently corralling her back to her laying position. She didn’t fight them; now that she knew what was happening to her, she had a feeling people would be trying to get her to stay grounded for a while.

Her heart fluttered. Now, she was happy that he wasn’t there; she could surprise him with the news. She could imagine his face. Knowing him, he’d probably start crying.

Entrapta hoped this is what Motherhood was supposed to feel like- well, aside from the waves of nausea and exhaustion. The warm, exciting, and joyful feelings, more importantly. There were suddenly so many gadgets in her mind that she could build for them, so many toys she could make…

“The stage from fetus to infant takes about four months. While we clones remain in our pods until adulthood, I’m going to assume you’ll want them to be removed at the infant stage,” the senior mentioned. “That may, unfortunately, require surgery.”

Entrapta beamed. “What do you mean, ‘unfortunately’? I’ll be dissected for science!! That's always been a dream of mine… I’ll give you plenty of cameras to record the entire procedure!!”

“Oh, no need. There are plenty in the surgical ward.”

Glimmer and Adora exchanged disturbed expressions, but neither of them were shocked by Entrapta’s priorities. It was a given she’d be weird.

“Do you think Hordak’s having an easier time in his memories?” Glimmer muttered to Adora.

“…Eh? Knowing him, probably not.”

***

“SCUM!!!”

Hordak awoke to the sensation of pain. Immediately upon stirring, a foot planted itself in his stomach, sending a wave of agony­ throughout his body. His vision blurred as he was kicked again, his first breath as a waking creature a sharp gasp.

Catra awoke soon after, the echo of his pain causing her to jolt upright. She tensed, ears perked and tail flicking with anxiety. Hordak had yet to process the room he was in; as such, her surroundings were filled with blurs of grey, red, and gold. Already, though, she began to feel something was off about it.

She blinked, ears twitching as she reached up and ran a hand through her hair. It was standing straight up, like it was filled with static. The floor was above her- dark metal, undoubtedly the hull of a ship. When she turned her head downwards, she saw a high ceiling with crystalline lights. But, certainly, she was planted on the ground. Was the ship upside down? Catra quirked an eyebrow at the odd sight, the sense of vertigo a bit overwhelming.

Looking next to her answered the strange flip of her vision. Hordak was beside her, strung upside-down like a prize fish. His hands and feet were cuffed by a strange, black metal that pulsed with gold veins, the chains weighty as they bound him to the floor beneath him and the ceiling above.

Catra could feel their intense heat on her wrists, but she was perplexed to see they weren’t burning Hordak. Were they supposed to?

Their captors had moved out of Hordak’s line of sight, but only just. Catra could hear them talking clearly- their speech were amplified by what could only be described as pure pride in the sound of their own voices. She could count five different ones, all masculine.

“He used The Power to teleport away. Typical,” one griped.

“Coward… When we finally smite him, there’ll be no God that will want him in their eternal army,” another responded. “Not that any had ever wanted a blood traitor like the Prince.”

Adam, Catra realized. They were talking about Adam. Teela was probably giving him an earful about using The Power… If he was still alive. Teleportation was hardly an easy feat, if she remembered correctly, and using the sword actively wounded him.

Despite the uncertainty, she breathed a sigh of relief. Adam wouldn’t leave Teela- she, at least, was definitely alright. Beside her, she heard Hordak do the same, though far more muted.

If Adam and Teela were still alive, then Hordak would persist as well. It would be a disservice to them if he quit living now.

Red eyes focused, concentrating on the pain to will it away. What had occurred came back to Hordak in bits and pieces: they’d been spotted, somehow, and ambushed. Perhaps they were seen before he could finish installing the cloaking device. But, even still, Hordak had chosen the most optimal spot in the rock spires… How were they seen?

“That disgusting traitor… I knew he was working for The Horde the moment he brought that red-haired degenerate around the Greyskull Colony. Her stupid blathering about ‘scientific facts’, all to justify helping vermin like this. And just look at him!! Evidence, right before our eyes!!! She’s helping the Horde replace us!!!”

“Hey, at least her research made it easier for us to kill them. I’ve been reading the state paper, and it’s saying we’re two galaxies away from total victory.”

“Excellent. Our time here won’t be wasted. We will relax on this planet until then… The Empire will allow us back, obviously, when they see our genetic lineages are pure.”

“It’s all that matters! Of course they will.”

A far more feminine laugh rang in the air, deep and mature. It carried a threatening aura with its performativity, and sent a chill down Catra’s spine.

“Gentlemen, let’s not look to the future just yet. The present is equally enthralling, after all,” The owner of the laugh cooed.

Light footsteps tapped along the tile, moving towards Hordak with careful intent. “The fact that Adam had the Horde General with him is… Curious. It must be investigated.”

The chattering was replaced with growling laughter. Their captors stepped into their line of sight, as if passing through a veil. Every hair on Catra’s body stood on end.

The people before her were tall, broad, and, above all, strikingly beautiful. Their blonde hair ranged from sunlight yellow to flaxen, draped like banners over their shoulders and tied into braids. Their crystal blue eyes were ice cold, slightly hidden under furrowed, dark eyebrows. Their angled faces were twisted into sneers and grins, marring their beauty only somewhat.

Their armor was golden, ornate, and perfectly fit for each of their muscular frames. On their breastplates were engravings of lions and Pegasus, both depicted leaping over two spheres. Underneath, they wore pure white tunics with cream leggings, with gold sandals on their feet. Three of them wore galeas with golden wings at their temples, and all of them bore golden swords and crystal shields. The swords, however, were not nearly as concerning as the heavy pistols they all carried on their hips. They were fully strapped, and prepared to kill with the slightest twitch.

Their captain was a woman, her skin a dark umber that glowed with a golden highlight. Her hair was ice white, cut close to her skull. Her eyes were a vibrant purple that seemed to glow, barely containing the power hiding behind them.

Her status as their leader was marked further by her even more regal appearance. The headpiece she wore made her seem far taller than she was. It  served as a shawl as well, the gold-spun fabric gleaming like the hair of her crew. Her pure, white palla trailed the floor, resting elegantly on her frame as she stood poised. In her hands, she carried a scepter- dark wood for the handle, with a golden lion’s claw clutching a misty, lilac orb at the end.

The captain donned a poisoned smile as she stopped in front of Hordak. At the sight of him, her eyes narrowed, and her malicious grin grew wider. Her hands held her scepter delicately, her sharp nails tapping against the glass orb like moth wings against a window.

“Hello, General,” she greeted in a tender voice. “It’s so nice to meet you in person.”

It was difficult to rationalize the gaze that settled on Hordak- and, it felt, on Catra herself. It was cold, fixated, yet absent. There was simply no attempt to see him as a feeling creature; as if Hordak was truly nothing but a bug, worth about as much as one.   

Hordak recognized the gaze like an omen. Suddenly, the pain he was in now didn’t feel so tremendous; certainly, the worst was yet to come.

 “Such… an honor… to meet the Masters of The Universe once again,” Hordak managed in a hiss.

Catra gasped, her eyes wide as she realized that she was looking at Eternians. She’d seen them before, but their faces were obscured by helmets. With their faces plainly visible, there was no denying that they resembled Adora to a frightening degree. 

Were these the Eternians Adora wished she’d known so badly? These people?

The captain laughed again, this time far more genuine. “Ah, and we truly are,” She responded, placing one hand over her chest. “I begged our Gods this morning, you see. I said to them, ‘Please, blessed fathers of our shattered Eternia, our divine mothers of our broken Etheria… Please let me bring you justice.’”

She hummed softly, leisurely raising her scepter. “And look. How they have blessed me. They have given me the Horde’s prized possession to play with as I see fit.”

A bolt of energy burst from the orb, striking Hordak directly in the chest. The pain was a tidal wave, starting subtle and growing to blistering intensity. Hordak howled in response, his body finally flailing with the surge of agony as he tried to uselessly escape.

Catra hissed as her skin crawled, eyes watering. Again, she struggled to figure out who she should really be rooting for. It was her natural inclination to care about Hordak; however, she couldn’t deny that he did deserve this on some level.

Then again… She didn’t want to align herself to these Eternians. They spoke quite frankly about their beliefs, and it sounded as though they weren’t much better than Horde Prime.

The captain looked down at Hordak as he struggled to catch his breath. “You mock us, but it is out of pure necessity that we call ourselves the Masters of The Universe,” she stated matter-of-factly. “If we didn’t, you would. It’s only rational… Wouldn’t you agree? We have to protect ourselves.”

Hordak narrowed his eyes, jaw clenching as he struggled to get his muscles to relax. “No,” he proclaimed firmly. “There are no Masters. Not you nor I.”

She laughed again. “Ohhh, yes… You’ve definitely spent time with the Prince.”

Another burst of energy once again sent Hordak into a fit, his cries sputtering off into distressed chittering and clicking.

But he would say it again. He meant it. After not meaning his words for so long, he meant them now. “Kill me, if you’re so inclined. I’m only more dangerous the longer I’m alive,” He threatened with bared teeth. “And you will pay for endangering Adam and Teela with your very lives!!”

Humming with amusement, the captain extended her foot, delicately using it to turn his chin downwards to the floor.

“That’s better. Your kind is an eyesore to look at already.” A sigh left her lips, the scepter beginning to glow with dark energy.

“You will die… Eventually.”

“Captain Lynn, wait!!!” Catra jolted as a sixth Eternian entered her sphere of vision, dressed far less ornately than the ones before them. They were panting aggressively, hands on their knees as they struggled to breathe. When they composed themselves, their face looked quite distressed. “We’ve received word from Lord Skeletor that we’re to keep all Horde Clones alive for The Pit. That includes the Horde General. He wants him in top condition.”

Captain Lynn… Hordak didn’t recognize the name. He did, however, recognize Skeletor’s with a sinking despair. Of course, he thought. Of course Skeletor found him. Skeletor was a complete idiot; however, idiots had immeasurable luck, and the lich had in spades. Hordak hadn’t expected him to have Eternians on his side, either. Why weren’t they with their Empire?

He’d ask, but, at the end of the day, he didn’t really care. He was happy the torture wouldn’t continue, though any joy was marred with a painful grimace.

“Lord Skeletor… Psh. A bit odd to critique me on my actions against Eternia when you work for the lich that helped destroy it, don’t you think…?” Hordak grumbled.

His words bled into a growl as the foot against his chin shoved his head into an odd angle, her heel pressing dangerously against his throat. “Shut the hell up,” Was his answer.

Captain Lynn clicked her tongue, surveying her crew before removing her foot from Hordak’s neck. Her expression only soured more, her nails tapping the glass of her scepter irritably. “Fine then. We take him to Skeletor, and he will decide his fate. Less work for me,” She quipped, turning gracefully for the door and out of their vision.

Catra heard Captain Lynn drift to the door, her heels muted clicks against the floor. “I’m going to rest…” She trailed off, sighing wistfully. “Being near such filth causes my head to ring horribly…”

There was silence that followed. The crew looked her expectantly, confused. Captain Lynn let out a low growl, the frustration in her voice boiling over. “What do you think I want you to do!? You’re idiots. Watch over him!!! Don’t let him even flinch without punishing him for it.”

At the direct order, the crew jolted into alertness, nodding hurriedly. With a chorus of “Yes, ma’am!” Captain Lynn followed the sixth crewmember out, leaving Hordak alone with the five other Eternians.

“Hordak, I’m going to trust that you have a plan for all of this…” Catra muttered, gulping. She looked at his hands and feet with a growing sense of worry. The chains jingled in deeper, solid clinks. The metal sounded thick. She didn’t know how strong Hordak was, but she doubted he was that strong.  

Hordak, for the moment, was only trying to breathe. His entire body ached, now, and he felt exhausted. He settled for bitterly glaring at his captors, trying to kill them with a look just to see if he could.

 An Eternian grinned wolfishly behind a flaxen beard. “Can’t believe they actually went out and tamed a clone,” He remarked, matching Hordak’s cold gaze. “Smart to tame this one, I guess. I bet it does all sorts of fun tricks.”

“Wonder if we can get him to do one, now.”

“You don’t think he’s food motivated, do you?”

Catra grumbled under her breath as they flippantly teased Hordak, the alien only growing more and more agitated with every jab. “These guys only have one joke…” She muttered, hoping he wouldn’t make his situation worse by trying to brute force the situation.

Catra needn’t worry; certainly, Hordak would kill them. He was anticipating it with bated breath. He might kill the one that kicked him first, just for the insult of it. But that opportunity was not now; he would wait for when his chance was the strongest.

Hordak was prodded with the muzzle of a pistol, causing him to sway lightly. “Sick, ain’t it? It looks almost… Normal,” One said, scrunching up his nose. “Those clothes. The hair. And did you hear it talking? Adam taught it how to look and act just like us.”

“It’s what he’s good at,” Another remarked with a bite. “Scum like Adam see monsters and want them on leashes. Makes him feel powerful, when he can make them repeat our words like parrots.”

Hordak fought to bite his tongue, but he felt compelled. “You’re wrong,” He refuted harshly. “Adam is my friend. He gave me a life outside the Horde, where I can think for myself. He is not scum.”

Something about what he said caught their attention. Their eyes flashed with a cruel glint, and their smiles grew sly.

“Your friend, huh?” one repeated.

The tone made Hordak falter slightly. “Y….Yes. Yes, Adam is my best friend. He is none of the things that you claim he is. He is a noble man!! Loyal, strong, and compassionate!!” He declared.

The crewmember sighed, shaking his head. “And I thought you freaks were smart...”

“He called that redhead bitch his friend, too,” another explained with a sneer. “His best friend. Are you that kind of friend, General?”

Hordak was taken aback, his words dying in his throat. Despite his best efforts, his face began to flush red, his ears twitching. “No, of course not-!!”

“Ohh, what’s that look on your face? And that response… You know about that kind of thing?”

“Don't tell me… Does the unstoppable, bloodthirsty Horde General have a crush?”

He froze, his face grower darker and darker crimson, until it spread to his ears. His hackles rose, teeth gritting as he avoided their eyes.

Catra blinked, the reaction a confirmation to her as well.

“Dude, he’s married,” she hissed. “Are you serious!?”

The bearded Eternian squatted down, more squarely looking Hordak in the eye. It was the first time they addressed him with any sense of recognition. “You’re barking up the wrong tree, vermin,” He gruffed, his tone chiding. “There is simply no place for you in this universe.”

A cold pit settled in Hordak’s stomach at the sound of their laughter. He shut his eyes and tried to will it away it; however, it blossomed into hot rage. It filled his body like a heavy liquid, welling up in his eyes.

“You are wrong,” Hordak refuted, voice hoarse. “Unchain me, and I’ll show you...”

He was kicked again, his cry of pain more of a sob of agony.

“Oh, yeah? You think you can defeat pure Eternian stock, battered and bloody as you are? Not a chance.”

One of the younger crewmembers, however, seemed intrigued. “…I heard challenging him in battle was a true testament to the Eternian will.” He looked to his other crewmembers, his twitching hands resting on his blade. “He’s not at his full strength… Why not see what he can do? Aren’t you curious?”

They were, clearly. One by one, the idea spread across their minds like a virus, prompting them all to unsheathe their swords.

Catra gawked at the sight of it. They weren’t serious, were they?

“We were instructed not to harm him any further,” another pointed out, frowning.

“Aw, shut up!! Look at him!! They wouldn’t notice a few more bruises, surely. Come now… He’ll be torn to shreds come morning. Why does it matter what state he’s in? Besides. We’ll just blame the… Y’know. Lynn.”

“…True… Get the chains.”

Catra instinctively moved out of their way, shutting her eyes as Hordak was flipped upright. As expected, when she opened them again, her vision was proper once more. The chains weren’t removed; rather, they were dislocated from their hooks, leaving the alien in a heap on the floor.

Hordak struggled to rise to his feet with the metal weighing him down. Eventually, he found his footing again, his back straightening with a chilling gracefulness. His eyes burned with white-hot fury, but his face remained perfectly calm- almost neutral, even.

His window had appeared.

The five of them with raw strength outmatched him, indeed. He doubted they’d take turns. His key, he reasoned, would be to kill as many as he could as quickly as he could. Before they could react to their fellows dropping.

 “Which should we free? Feet or hands?” A crewmember asked, holding a single key.

“Hands. Give him a sword… I want to see those moves I heard about.”

He clicked his tongue. To do what he wanted, he wouldn’t need a sword. He’d have to improvise.

Hordak wobbled slightly, his usual mobility now limited. He rubbed his wrists, wincing at the darkened skin around them.  “You’ve made a terrible mistake. I’ve already said I’d kill you…. I rarely lie about that.”

“We’ll see.”

Catra observed the way Hordak shifted his feet. She recognized the stance immediately; after all, she’d just seen the more polished version. Was this what had inspired it?

As expected, they rushed him all at once. He never broke his calm exterior, waiting for them with a hunter’s gaze. When the first one struck, Hordak blocked it easily, throwing him into the path of two others.

The fourth and fifth barreled at him; however, at the sight of his three friends falling, the fifth hesitated, leaving the fourth to attack alone. With a grunt of exertion, Hordak forced his feet to move, causing the fourth to swing at the open air. Hordak- without a moment of hesitation- used the opportunity to plant his blade into the back of the Eternian’s head, piercing through the man’s galea.

Before the fifth could swing, Hordak drew the pistol from the now dead Eternian’s hip, pressing it to his forehead and firing it in the same breath. Blood showered in a spray around them both, pooling as the newly dead collapsed on the ground.

Hordak snapped his attention to the others, who were still in shock from seeing their friends die so easily. “Don’t flatter yourselves. You’re only strong because there’s so many of you,” He stated with a small scoff. “I told you it was a mistake to unlock me.”

They drew their weapons, but he was faster. He aimed for their collarbones, where he could see flesh peeking out from underneath their armor. He shot the sides that held their weapons, tearing chunks out of them precision. Their screams of agony were music to his ears.

Hordak scoffed, yanking his sword free from the dead Eternian’s skull. To his delight, the key he’d seen earlier tumbled out of the corpse’s pocket. “Oh! Thank you for being the first idiot to die, that’s quite helpful of you,” he commented, plucking it from the floor. He unlocked the cuffs around his ankles, stepping out of them with a skitter.

He smiled at the freedom of movement, straightening out his torn jacket before approaching the fallen Eternians. They were still alive, groaning and begging for mercy in choked, sobbing wails. Their arms were barely attached to their bodies, the bone and muscle exposed and oozing blood.

Catra jolted as Hordak fired his pistol at their faces, prowling about them in search of movement and noise. When he saw either, he shot at their heads until it stopped. He wanted to ensure they were dead- when he ran out of bullets, he grabbed another pistol from another corpse to continue.

He paused to consider who he was up against- known and unknown- and he took two more for safekeeping. 

Catra cleared her throat as she hurried to his side. Blood painted the walls in great arcs, pooling along the seams of the hull. “That was a little excessive…”

 Hordak stared straight ahead, not stopping to look at the carnage he’d created.

From the window, he could see that they were nearing a civilization. The prison, he realized, in its entirety. A dark grey mass against a blackened ground, with orange lights indicating light and fire. The massive wall that surrounded the prison was another ring of darkness. He'd heard of cracks, but finding would be a challenge. He could see ships moving in- huge vessels likely containing hundreds of Eternian criminals.

Hordak debated his options. Surely, there were others on the ship that heard the commotion. Captain Lynn, as well. The thought of dealing with her magic again made him shudder. The other Eternians had been absolute child’s play- she, on the other hand, was on another level entirely. A shame that she was adverse to the Horde… Prime could really use someone with that much magical prowess.

He’d rather throw himself from the ship than deal with her. So, he did just that.

Suddenly, he shot at the window, the sound of the impact and surge of air startling Catra further. “Wait, Hordak, that’s not necessary. Come on- are you serious!?” She yelled over the sound of the air, watching with horror as he crawled out of the window, nicking his hand in the process.

“Oh, fuck you, Hordak. You're dumber than Adora!!! I’m shutting my eyes. Let me know when you’re doing smart things again!!!”

Carefully, the alien slid along the wide expanse of the ship’s wing. The velocity was manageable for him to walk a few feet out, but the smoothened metal of the hull caused him to almost slip twice.

He’d need to jump. The hope he had was that he’d land on a ship below him, and only break a few bones in the process. A fate that was still preferable to fighting the Captain.

Speaking of the woman… where was she? Surely, she heard the commotion by now.

His attention was called to the sound of gunfire- not at him, but behind the ship. The turrets on the back of the ship were firing at a fast moving target that was attempting to catch up to it. Soon, a deep purple energy joined them; however, the miniscule ship bobbed and weaved around every bolt and bullet. Shots were returned as well, in periodic showers. Mainly, though, the small object seemed to be focused on gaining speed. It quickly glided underneath the ship, before vertically  ascending in a sudden switch.

Wait… he'd seen that color green before.

“Teela!!” Hordak cried, face brightening. As the unidentified object grew closer, he could clearly make out her dark green jacket against the red of the hoverbike she was riding.

Catra grinned, waving her down with wide flails of her arms.

Teela looked scuffed as she shifted to cruise, but she looked relatively unharmed. Her rifle rested in her lap, and a smile rested upon her face.

She reached out her hand for Hordak to take. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you alive,” she said, the words breathy with their relief.

He returned the smile, using her help to cross the gap. “Likewise, my dear.”

He settled on the back, taking her rifle from her lap to act as her defenses. “Where’s Adam?” He asked, his smile fading somewhat.

Teela grimaced. “We were teleported away separately. Adam used The Power… and I had…” She placed her hand on her stomach, giving him a bit of a shrug. “They don’t take very kindly to Mom being in danger.”

The baby? The baby teleported her away?

“I told you… ‘Lil tyke is full of surprises,” she reminded. “Adam is definitely in the city by now. I’ve been hiding out around the wall, and they’re moving more security to the inside perimeters.”

Hordak frowned deeper, nodding. “…Where’d you get this bike?”

At that, she managed a coy smirk.

“Stole it.”

He cooed with surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah. The guy found me, tried to take me in… He called me fat, so I shot his kneecaps off and stole his bike… Is that bad of me?”

“No!! Absolutely not! What an asshole. Good for you.”

“See, that’s what I was thinking. I didn’t kill him, I just… y’know. One-Two.”

“Well, then he didn’t need his bike anymore. You did him a favor.”

They put plenty of distance between themselves and the Eternian ship as they spoke, moving low to the ground to avoid detection.

Suddenly, a great burst of purple energy shot from the window Hordak had shattered. With his more magnified hearing, he could just barely make out the booming sound of an enraged yell.

He chuckled at the sound. “Captain Lynn will have a quite a bit to explain to Skeletor, I think.”

“Lynn, huh…?” Teela gripped the handles of the bike tightly. “I know that name… She was royal guard, like I was. She’s the greatest sorceress the Eternians ever had. You were right to avoid a fight with her.”

Hordak figured as much. “Why is she here, working with Skeletor?”

“I have no idea. We weren’t really that close… She avoided me like the plague. She had a hard time being ostracized, already. I couldn’t blame her…”

Hordak wished to press her more, but he felt his vision swim a bit. “I need the amniotic fluid of the Horde… that will replenish my health.”

With one, smooth motion, Teela steered the bike away from the gate check, sliding into a crevice in the large, stone wall that surrounded the jail.

“Lucky for you, we’re heading to a place where they’ll have plenty.”

“Oh…? And that is…?”

“Prison.”

“…I might be able to make do, actually.”

“Remember- this was your idea, Hordak.”

… It had been his idea, hadn’t it?

How bold of him to think this would be easy.

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