Chapter 1.13 – "The Dismembered Girl"

Chapter 1.13 – "The Dismembered Girl"

Location: Koruch Ship – Infirmary

Date: NTC 1446.07.15

Merry knelt to the floor after removing her clothes.

Her gaze wandered to the narrow mouth of the tunnel across the room.

Then, slowly, she turned—first to Chatter, then to Yusuf.

“I need you to take me apart,” she said.

Yusuf recoiled as if struck. His eyebrows lifted high, eyes wide with disbelief.

“I can't do that,” he blurted. “Are you serious? Do it yourself!”

Chatter remained silent.

It immediately began scanning the infirmary, rummaging through drawers and

shelves, eyeing various instruments.

A few seconds later, it pulled out a long metallic tool with a sleek,

sharp tip. A small energy indicator pulsed faintly in blue.

It was some kind of surgical-grade tissue cutter—silent, swift, and seamless.

Chatter extended it toward Yusuf.

“Here. This will work.”

Yusuf barely looked at it before flinching again. He recoiled as if someone had placed a live creature in his hands.

“Nope. Not happening. Just looking at this makes me sick.”

But Chatter didn’t pull the tool back.

“I’ll be piloting the drone. You’re doing the cutting.”

“Why me?!” Yusuf's voice cracked with panic and helplessness.

Across the room, Merry smiled faintly.

Her eyes were calm—resolute.

“Don’t be afraid,” she said gently.

“I’ll be fine.”

At that moment, a groan echoed from the other side of the room, thick and raspy.

“Wha… what happened…?”

Yorgo’s voice, cracked and barely conscious, trembled through the air.

“I’m… not dead? Where am I…?”

His eyes were barely open as he struggled to move his head.

Merry didn’t respond.

She rose slowly and walked toward him—expressionless, empty.

When she reached him, she lifted her foot.

There was no hesitation.

"THUD."

With the sole of her foot, she delivered a precise, brutal stomp to Yorgo’s forehead.

His eyes rolled back. He slumped into unconsciousness again.

“What the hell was that?!” Yusuf snapped.

“He’s sleeping now, isn’t he?” Merry replied with a shrug. “What, are we supposed to deal with him too? We've got enough to worry about already!”

Yusuf didn’t argue.

He just shook his head in exasperation.

As Yorgo lay still on the floor, silence reclaimed the room.

Chatter stepped toward the drone, control module in hand.

Yusuf glanced down at the cutter.

They were ready.

Merry sat again, extending her left leg outward. She pointed to her thigh.

“Start with the left leg,” she instructed.

Yusuf took a hesitant step back.

“Me? Why don’t you do it yourself?”

She inhaled deeply, her voice unwavering.

“I can make the first cuts. But when it gets to the end... I won’t be able to finish.

Start from the beginning, so I can trust you’ll do what’s needed when it matters most.”

Yusuf’s grip tightened on the cutter.

His fingers were sweating. His wrists trembled.

“But... this is insane... I can’t...”

“Yusuf,” Merry said, her tone suddenly sharp.

“If you don’t do this, we’re not getting out of here.

Take a deep breath and cut the leg.”

Chatter stood silently in the corner, watching with the controller in its hand.

Yusuf swallowed.

He weighed the cutter in his hand, took a breath, and crouched beside Merry.

“Alright… okay… I’ll do it…”

He lifted the cutter—wrist trembling—and just as the blade descended, he screamed:

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“AAAA—!”

But before it could touch her skin—

“Stop!” Chatter barked.

Yusuf froze.

Merry looked up in surprise. Both turned to Chatter.

“Switch to cauterize mode,” it said. “The wounds will seal immediately. No bleeding.”

“That was an option?!” Yusuf snapped.

“Yes. Give it here. I’ll set it.”

Yusuf handed over the cutter. Chatter pressed a tiny button beneath it. The blue glow shifted instantly to red. As it returned the cutter, Chatter explained:

“There. Now it won’t bleed.

This model heats to 600 degrees within microseconds on contact—seals the tissue instantly.”

Yusuf gritted his teeth.

“Couldn’t you have done that earlier?!”

“I could have,” Chatter replied flatly.

Yusuf stared at it, waiting for more.

Nothing came.

Chatter was emotionless. Unapologetic.

Silence settled in again.

“Hurry up already!” Merry snapped. “Quit stalling!”

Yusuf jolted slightly, shook his head, and steadied his breathing.

He was terrified. Nauseous.

But in Merry’s eyes-there was no fear, no doubt.

He nodded.

“I’m ready. Let’s go.”

This time, he held the cutter firmly.

Closed his eyes, exhaled, and brought the blade down.

There was no resistance.

The tissue parted smoothly—like cutting warm wax.

He opened one eye and peeked. No blood.

The wound was clean, cauterized.

“Told you,” Merry said with a faint smile. “Not so bad.”

Yusuf flushed with shame.

She was being dismembered alive…

and still trying to make him feel better.

He pushed his guilt aside, his face hardening.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got this.

You can trust me.”

Merry nodded.

“Then don’t waste time.”

Yusuf severed the left leg in a single, clean motion.

He lifted it carefully and turned to Chatter.

“Place it on the android-hand,” Chatter instructed. “Foot forward.”

Yusuf complied.

Chatter pressed a button—the hand clamped down on the leg.

“Alright. Let’s put the drone to the tunnel entrance.” it said.

The tunnel opened two and a half meters above the ground.

Hot air drifted from its mouth, and the metallic walls hummed with a strange, living sound.

Yusuf looked around for something to climb.

“Hold on,” Chatter said, dragging a stretcher beneath the tunnel. “I’ll go.”

It climbed up.

Yusuf passed the drone.

Chatter put it in place at the entrance.

Yusuf turned to Merry.

She was quiet.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I’m always okay,” she replied with a wink.

“And I’ll feel even better once I get out of here and beat the crap out of everyone.”

Yusuf smirked. “Just don’t hurt my brother.”

Merry stretched out her right leg.

Yusuf crouched and activated the cutter.

“Which one’s your brother again?” she asked.

“Kerim. The one wearing dark green pilot jacket.

He was standing next to me when you tore off your own wrists.”

Merry grimaced slightly as the blade touched flesh.

Then replied through the pain.

“Ihhmm... I’ll try not to.

But if he attacks me, I’m not holding back. Just saying.”

When the right leg was detached, Yusuf stood and brought it to Chatter.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I can’t open the hatch on the storage side.” it said.

“What?! Then why are you sending parts over there?!” he asked again.

“I’m using Merry’s leg to kick the panel open,” Chatter said calmly. “With the sole.”

Yusuf stared.

Was that a joke?

Apparently not.

“You’re making way too much noise!” he hissed. “They’ll catch us!”

“No one’s near the storage. Everyone’s on the bridge or outside the infirmary.

It’s empty. And this way is faster.”

Just then, a metallic clang echoed from the tunnel.

"TINGGG!"

“There. It’s open,” Chatter said. “Releasing the leg. You handle the rest. I’ve got this.”

“Let’s hope no one heard that.” said Yusuf.

After that placed the next leg on the stretcher and returned to Merry.

“What's next?” he asked.

“Arms. From the shoulder. We’ve got a part limit, remember?”

She closed her eyes for a moment.

Took a silent breath.

Then smiled again.

“Go on.”

Yusuf studied her face.

There’s nothing in this galaxy that could stop this girl, he thought.

He got to work.

The left arm came off in three seconds.

He was getting used to it.

Or had to.

He passed it to Chatter without a word.

Chatter took it with no comment.

Then the right arm.

Merry was still conscious. Still quiet. Still smiling.

He moved on to the lower torso. It was more difficult—but manageable.

Then he separated the middle torso. That part was the hardest.

Organs, bones, ribs...

But the cutter cauterized as it cut.

There was no blood.

No horror.

Just… disassembly.

He delivered the torso to Chatter, who sent it through.

Six parts gone.

Four slots left.

He looked into Merry’s eyes.

Still aware. Still present. Still smiling.

“Why’d you stop?” she asked.

“We’ve come this far.”

“Merry… are you okay? You haven’t said anything.”

She chuckled.

“Would it help if I talked? I was staying quiet to keep you guys calm.”

“Doesn’t it hurt?” he asked.

“Not anymore.

There's not much left of me to hurt, right? Hahaha!”

She grinned again.

“Don’t waste time.”

Yusuf said nothing. Just nodded.

Brought the cutter to her neck.

And gently, carefully, severed her head.

He set it down with care.

Then split the upper torso in two.

Chatter collected each piece in silence and sent them through.

At last…

Only her head remained.

“I can’t wait to get out here and smash some skulls!” Merry exclaimed cheerfully.

As Yusuf picked her up, he asked:

“How are you going to reassemble yourself?”

“I’ll figure something out,” she said confidently. “Just send me.”

“‘Figure something out’? We didn’t cut you into pieces for nothing, did we?!”

“Not everything goes according to plan,” she replied. “Sometimes, you have to trust your instincts.”

Chatter cut in, voice cold and final.

“There’s nothing more to discuss.

Ninety percent of her is already outside.

We’ll trust her.”

Chatter extended its hand.

Yusuf gave her over.

“Trust me,” she said with a grin.

Yusuf exhaled deeply. Nodded.

The pacifier collar was still around her neck.

Chatter slid it off with quiet ease, tossed it into a corner without a glance.

“Hahaha,” Merry laughed. “It didn’t work anyway.”

Chatter didn’t respond.

It placed her head into the drone.

“Ready?” it asked.

Merry smiled.

“Always.”

Chatter pressed the module.

The drone vanished into the heat and darkness of the tunnel,

leaving behind only the soft hum of its engines—and Merry’s laughter echoing down the passage.

“Hahahaha.”

Yusuf and Chatter exchanged a glance.

Then silence fell once more over the infirmary.