Orion swayed on the spot as he was shackled down, and it was a struggle just to remain on his knees despite the indignity of the position...and his incredulous gaping.

He had to reset his unfocused (damaged, he noted idly,) optics before he could even be certain of what he was witnessing first hand. He vented hotly, embarrassed, before he could even think about retaining his self-imposed silence.

Politeness demanded he look away...but he refused to show further weakness, even if he felt dangerously off-balance, like he was listing helplessly to one side.

"...Even an archivist might fight, if his archive is threatened. And you've threatened far more than that."