18 Kotal Kahn
Kung Jin looks around at his team and asks
"You guys all right?"
They say nothing in response, but a cry across the plaza grabs their attention. More soldiers - far more than they can take on - dash towards them. Once they are surrounded, a Kytinn strolls up to Team S-F. She eyes the team saying
"The Earthrealmers, yes? This One must learn more of your diplomatic techniques."
Cassie tries explaining
"We're here to see Kotal Kahn. General Blade's—"
The Kytinn cuts her off
"You interfere with Outworld matters. The penalty is death."
"I'm sensing a theme."
"But as we honor the Reiko accords, we will consult the emperor. You will await him here."
She walks off, leaving Team S-F surrounded by the soldiers. Cassie turns to Jin. Her anger rising as she berates
"You wanna take this opportunity to tell us what the fuckshit you were thinking?!"
Takeda nods in agreement asking
"I gotta wonder why you'd risk inter realm war for a bread thief."
Kung Jin sighs and answers
"Because not all thieves are irredeemable."
Jacqui laughs and says
"Yet look how you treat Alex…speaking of which where is he?"
Cassie looked about and didn't find Alex among them or the surrounding soldiers. She was worried about him. It was not like him to just vanish. Not only are they down a person in their team, but her fiancé is missing, and Cassie hasn't the slightest idea.
-Flashback-
Five years ago, not long after they had helped free their friends and loved ones from the Blood Oath, which helped put Outworld on a friendly path with Earthrealm, Cassie was out and about alone. Ever since that fateful day two months ago Cassie has welcomed the distanced protection of Black Dragons. It was an odd comfort considering how much her mother hated Kano. Yet here Kano was sacrificing his men and women to protect her. Sonya could not wrap her mind around it. She felt her phone buzz and she looked at it annoyed. She did not want to hear from her father who was being a bit overbearing at the moment but the text message was not from any number she had in her phone book or knew off the top of her head. Confused, she opened the message and regretted doing so. The first few were images that she would never show to her parents even if it meant getting Alex back safely. In the first, Alex was stripped naked, restrained with his arms above his head. He was untouched beyond that. The next image, though, sickened her. Alex was in the same position but was bloodied with contusions and lacerations all over his body. The third shocked her as the text read
'Were you aware he is a Hermaphrodite? A freak of nature?'
The image had been of his legs spread wide for those to see and she saw what they wanted her to see. She shook her head and she saw one last image. Alex was on his knees, blindfolded, gagged, arms restrained heavily behind his back. He was scared from his body language. She had to tell someone despite the next saying
'Not a word about this Ms. Cage'
"Fuck that."
Cassie thought to herself. Desperate acts call for desperate measures
-End Flashback-
Back in Outworld, Kotal Kahn has his back to Cassie Cage in contemplation. D'Vorah, Erron Black, Ferra/Torr, and Kotal's soldiers still have Team S-F surrounded. He turns back around and walks toward Cassie.
"Your news of refugees is troubling. Their exodus to Earthrealm was not known to me."
He turns away and walks onto the platform continuing
"I do know this: I invited no guests from Earthrealm. Certainly, none who would disrupt the execution of justice."
He places a hand on the stocks that the thief was formerly in, he asks.
"How do I know you are not allied with Mileena? Perhaps her newfound power has earned her new friends?"
"Friends? No. No! We're not even sure that's Shinnok's Amulet that she has—"
"She employs Shinnok's Amulet against me?! The very item Earthrealm swore would be safe in its care?! When Outworld was offered no participation—"
Realizing that negotiations are taking a turn for the worse, Kung Jin starts forward as Cassie counters
"We were under attack, not Outworld—"
Jin steps in front of Cassie and interjects.
"Kotal Kahn... The Fire that Burns the Sun. We are here because we share your concerns about the missing item. We intend no ill against your rule."
"At least one Earthrealmer can forge words like silver. But I recall an Earthrealm expression: "There is more honor among thieves than diplomats."
"I've had the questionable fortune to be both, Emperor. But I'm telling you the truth."
"You are allied with Mileena."
To D'Vorah he says
"You may carry out your sentence."
Kung Jin thinking on his feet says
"Kotal Kahn, under Outworld law, I claim the right of defense...by kombat."
Takeda looks shocked
"What?"
Jacqui asks
"You're gonna fight... a duel?"
Kung Jin nods before saying to them
"To absolve us of all accusations."
To Kotal he says
"Denying the request brings dishonor upon the accuser."
"You know much of Outworld."
He steps down from the platform. D'vorah adds
"Know also: The duel ends in death."
Jin steps into a fighting stance as Kotal does the same. Kotal warns
"You have won nothing. Merely a few more seconds of breath."
They fight. The battle proved to be one of the toughest of Kung Jin's life. Facing down an Osh-Tekk warrior at full strength is no easy feat, and it takes all Jin's speed and skill in battle to hang in there. After what seems like a lifetime, Jin finally powers through Kotal's strength and leaves him down on the ground, defeated. He asks
"And now, Emperor?"
Breathing heavily, Kotal cannot find the strength to rise again. He says
"The charges against you are void. I say to all that Earthrealm means Outworld no harm."
D'Vorah looks shocked at these words. Team S-F can barely believe it either. Kotal gets to his knees but rises no further. He says
"Now kill me. Be done with it."
Cassie asks
"You're not actually gonna...?"
Jin steps closer to Kotal. He says
"Instead of your life, I claim your service."
Kotal looks up in surprise. Kung Jin continues
"If Mileena does have the amulet, we can get it from her more easily if we work together."
The Osh-Tekk Kahn rises to his feet. D'Vorah walks up to him. She tries
"Emperor, they cannot be trusted—"
"D'Vorah, can you not perceive? I am indebted to them."
He holds out his arm, and Jin clasps it at the elbow. Kotal returns the gesture, cementing Kotal Kahn's servitude and alliance with Team S-F and Earthrealm. Kung Jin says
"You honor us, Kotal Kahn. Our gratitude is wide as the ocean."
Kotal says nothing but frowns at the words. Cassie nods and says
"I'll talk to General Blade. Tell her about our new... arrangement. And also mention we are down a member."
Cassie's words catch Kotal Kahn's attention as well as the rest of Team S-F. The ongoing events have kept them preoccupied to the point that Alex had been missing since the civilian uprising. Kotal questions
"Who is missing?"
"Alexander, a member of the Black Dragon who willingly joined us in the Special Forces. He was last seen when Kung Jin stopped the execution. Any word from your guards if he was taken away?"
"None that I am aware of."
Kotal replies, his brows furrowing at the mention that their fifth missing member is of the Black Dragon, but reserves these thoughts for later. The Osh-Tekk replies
"But I will check on the guards later about his whereabouts and keep you updated. Until then, as promised, I will continue my service until we dispose of Mileena."
The scene cuts back to Earthrealm in the Special Forces Outworld refugee camp. General Sonya Blade, followed by a squad of armed soldiers, holds an interdimensional transmitter as she walks around the camp. After Cassie relays the news from Outworld, Sonya replies
"Thanks for the heads up, Sergeant. Stay with Kotal Kahn. Do whatever you can to recover Alex. Knowing him, he's still alive out there. We'll figure out our next steps once I've got Kano locked down."
"Yes ma'am. Cage out."
Sonya Blade hangs up the call as she and the other soldiers continue marching through the refugee camp. She stops to scan the area, filled with confused, distressed, and displaced Outworlders as they are helped however they can by Special Forces members, muttering
"He's still here. I can feel it."
