Stars 2
The pirates stared at the place the girl had been standing. Kei absently retracted her helmet and looked over the edge but they were already out of sight. She looked at the others who shifted nervously, before she cast her eyes in the captain's direction. He was frowning at the spot the girl had been. Kei reached up and touched her com. She was afraid of the answer but someone would have to explain this to the captain. She hoped it would be yattarn because this had been his idea.
"Well?" said Yuki
"The blond ended up on the cliff face, she's climbing down as we speak" said Jason
Kei swallowed nervously. The foolish one who had said she wanted to sleep with the captain had survived. Great just wonderful
"And the other one?" said Kei.
There was a lengthy pause and kei held her breath.
"Ground, I'm sorry Kei do you want me to tell the captain that we miscalculated?" said Jason
Kei looked up at the captain. By the look on the man's face she doubted she would have to.
"Holy... what the... hold on, there's movement from the impact site" said Jason
Shocked kei touched her com.
"Repeat please" said Kei
"I said she's still moving" said Jason
Kei still wasn't sure she was hearing him right.
"I thought you said she hit the ground? Did she hit water?" said Kei
"No she landed in the dirt you heard right but she appears to be climbing to her feet. I can't explain it. Here I'll pipe it to your feed, I'm already recording it for the captain" said Jason
"Good, I'll go ask him what he wants to do" said Kei
She clicked off the com and started walking towards the captain. He eyed her with curiosity as she approached.
"She hit the ground sir but Jason said she appears to still be moving, what should we do?" said Kei Harlock closed his eye briefly.
"Send a medical team down to check on her, if she's too far gone give her mercy" said Harlock
Kei winced because she felt guilty. If they hadn't miscalculated they both would have ended up in the pond and they wouldn't be dispatching a team to see if she was salvageable or in need of a swift end.
"Yes sir" said Kei
She quickly made her way towards zero and the older man nodded. He motioned to another man and they headed for the med shuttle.
They couldn't find the shoe so Aiden figured it was either in the lake or still on the ship.
"We should start back its getting dark" said Io
The younger woman had been giving her wary glances for a few minutes and Aiden was worried she was going to tell someone when they got back.
"What is it?" said Aiden
Io bit her bottom lip and looked away. Aiden put her hands on her hips and glared at her.
"Okay, all right already, geez I hate that glare. Do you think I'm a horrible girlfriend Aiden?" said Io
Aiden raised an eyebrow in shock
"Ah no, but I wasn't aware you were dating anyone" said Aiden
Io sighed "I didn't even notice when he fell, I am such a horrible person, Aiden" said Io
Aiden almost sighed in relief.
"No you're not Io, I think he will understand, besides he was going to leave you behind for a chance to be part of the crew" said Aiden
Io frowned at her.
"So you don't think I'm horrible then?" said Io
Aiden shook her head no and tore a chunk off of her petticoat. She wrapped her feet in the cloth and carried her other shoe. They started walking back. Aiden wasn't sure if the woman had figured it out yet but she didn't want the woman talking to anyone about her miraculous survival of a two hundred foot drop.
"Ah Io can I ask you something?" said Aiden
"Yeah sure go ahead" said Io
"Please don't tell anyone what I did" said Aiden
Io paused for a moment. Most people wrongly consider Io stupid because she embraced the whole blond bombshell image, but in reality she was quite smart.
"Which part? The failed attempt at impressing Harlock or when you jumped after me and saved my life?" said Io
Aiden bit her bottom lip.
"the latter I don't care if they think were idiots but Kade might assign me the rough clients if he knows they can't really hurt me and I'd rather he turned that clientele away like he has been" said Aiden
Io nodded in understanding.
"Me too, so no problem mum is the word but for what it's worth thank you" said Io
She hugged Aiden again.
The pirates reached the bottom of the cliff face.
"There's no one here, are you sure this is the right spot?" said Yana
Zero wandered a bit away and knelt by the small crater in the ground. He spotted something red in the hole so he leaned forward and scooped it up. He held it up briefly determined it was blood and shoved the vial into his pocket for later analysis
"yep that's the coordinates. What do you mean they are gone? She should have some broken bones, massive internal one gets up from that" said Jason
"Well she did because she's not here and there's no sign of a burial" said zero
"I found foot prints" said Yana
Zero sighed and wandered towards the younger man. He was kneeling over a pair of foot prints one heeled and the other barefoot. Zero frowned and tapped his com.
"did you by any chance find a shoe?" said zero
Jason paused and looked towards kei. She nodded because they had found one when they had attempted to close the bay doors.
"yes why?" said kei
"Well then that explains why one of them is barefoot, they appear to be heading back to town should we pursue captain?" said Zero
The line paused.
"negative we have a patrol heading in our direction head on back" said Harlock
"Aye captain" said zero
He clicked off the com and stared in the direction the foot prints were heading. Zero really wanted to follow her and ask her how she managed to survive.
"well?' said Yana
Zero shook his head
"Looks like our Cinderella remains a mystery for now" said zero
Yana gave him a puzzled look.
"Cinderella?" said Yana
"Old child's tale about a woman who loses a shoe or something" said zero
Yana nodded in understanding with a quick glance at the foot prints he stood and followed zero back to the small shuttle.
It was a long walk back to town and Aiden had to stop and remove stickers from her feet several times. When they got back Kade wasn't happy with them for trying to run off. He charged Aiden for the missing shoe and they both ended up with extra chores all week. Jimmy came in a few times in the weeks leading up to the party but instead of going to Io he sought the company of the other girls. Io didn't seem to really care so Aiden didn't comment.
The night before the party Kade instructed them to pack a bag and Kade delivered them each a fancy dress. Aiden's was a sparkling glitter covered red number that was slit to her thighs. It plunged low in the front, and the back, and hugged her every curve. Io's was the same but in a dark blue. Kade provided them with make-up and loaned them gold jewelry.
She was just pulling on the sparkling heels when Kade announced it was time to go. He had hired a car to drive them to the shuttle port and they were escorted under guard to the shuttle that would take them to the yacht. Aiden was nervous after nearly a month in Kade's bad graces she had been worried he would change his mind and take someone else. For some reason he was keeping his word but she still felt nervous. These were powerful people they were about to meet and she was essentially a nobody. They could wipe them all out of existence and never even bat an eye. She took a seat next to Io and the one other girl Kade had chosen. Aiden didn't recognize her so she figured she was from one of the other houses. She did however notice a distinct theme. There was one of each hair color. Io was a blond the new girl a red head and Aiden had black hair. The dresses were all jewel tones and sparkling. The red heads was a glittering white like diamonds. Which made Io the sapphires and Aiden the rubies.
She turned her head towards the window and got her first glimpse of the ship they were going to be on. Her mouth dropped open in shock. That was a private ship? It was longer than the town she lived in. as they pulled into the dock she noticed the guns as they passed. She wondered at their presence then remembered Harlock and his ilk were out there. Her stomach did a nervous little flip flop.
The shuttle landed and Kade motioned them closer.
"remember what I said, best behavior ladies" said Kade
Aiden swallowed because he had basically told them that no was a word that didn't exist here. Which meant no matter what these men wanted they were going to get it. She nodded and they followed Kade off the shuttle. Kade moved forward and talked to a man who was waiting to check them in. They waited patiently while the men conversed then Kade motioned them forward.
"All right we get to settle into our cabins and wait for the rest of the guests to arrive, time for last minute touch ups ladies" said Kade
He led them down a hall after the servant carrying their bags. Kade vanished into his room.
"all right ladies stay in the cabin no funny business with the crew they aren't paying for this their bosses are. Meet me on the main deck, that's down that hall and two floors up on the lift, in about an hour. I want you three to really make and entrance, so wait for me" said Kade
He vanished inside his cabin and they entered theirs. Aiden flopped down on the bed and toed off one of her shoes. The new girl was pacing and rubbing her arms. They watched her pace for a few minutes then it became annoying.
"what's your name?" said Io
"Krysta" said the girl
She nervously rubbed her arms again and Aiden exchanged a knowing look with Io.
"So how long have you been on it?" said Aiden
Krysta paused and started to look defensive.
"don't bother, we can tell" said Io
That seemed to take the wind right out of her sails.
"Only for a few months, he promised me if I did this he'd get me some, you know?" said Krysta
"Bliss?" said Aiden
Krystal nodded and Aiden groaned. Great first impression Kade, let them think we're all bliss heads.
Kade made his way towards the cabin and knocked on the door
"enter" said the voice inside.
Kade nervously swallowed and walked inside. The man sitting behind the desk didn't even look up at him.
"You brought her?" said the man
"Yes sir, general sir. Just like you requested. I even put her in your favorite color, red" said Kade
The man looked up at him and Kade swallowed again. The general had the coldest eyes that he had ever seen.
"she can survive like you said?" said the general
"yes sir, I have it on good authority that she survived a two hundred foot fall without so much as a scratch" said Kade
"And this authority it is trust worthy?" said the general
Kade nodded and the man pinned him with a glare that could melt metal siding.
"yes he's a regular, saw it firsthand he says" said Kade
The general seemed satisfied by his answer.
"Good then we have an agreement, you have her contract I trust?" said the general
Kade swallowed again and pulled the data chip from his coat pocket. The general inserted it into his system. The general nodded at whatever was displayed on the screen.
"Then we are in agreement I pay you what I agreed to plus what is left of her contract and she's mine to do with as I please" said the general
Kade nodded yes.
"Good sign here" said the general
Kade took the stylus from his hand and reached for the screen
"You won't hurt her too badly?" said Kade
The general nodded and Kade signed the form. The general filed the form away.
"When can I expect delivery?" said the general
"This evening, I'll have her stick to your side like glue sir" said Kade
The general nodded in his direction
"You may go now" said the general.
Kade hesitated in the door.
"You're sure you won't hurt her" said Kade
The general smiled maliciously
"Don't worry procurer if she screams nicely I will go easy on her, in any case its nothing she won't heal from like you said" said the general
Kade blinked in shock as the door slid shut on his face. The general tapped a key on his desk.
"Mr. Minen make sure my private room is ready, we'll be entertaining tonight" said the general