By A Shot of Amber
Session 20: An Episode about Nothing
The first time I ever saw her was in my chambers. She walked in and shut the door behind her. Their work was perfect, she was the same, but she was different. Gone was the pale insipid colors I had hated. The white, golden blond and the blues had faded to black and green. Only the pale skin had stayed, she was a pale dark haired ghost that stared at me with cold eyes. Soon those eyes would be filled with love, I knew what she looked like when she loved someone. I remembered all to well the smile and the glow of her eyes. It was the first time she had ever been allowed out of the clinic and she was more beautiful then I had ever hoped. My body ached for hers.
Now I stepped behind her while she stood there stiff and straight looking ahead at the bed draped in red silk, my favorite color. I ran my hands up over her ribcage, feeling every individual bone underneath the black silk. I moved up to her breasts feeling their tautness, the hard nipples against my palms. My lips caressed the back of her neck. She did nothing when I led her to the bed where we made love. It was the greatest pleasure I had ever experienced. Maybe I should have known better though when during the climax she turned her face away from me and cried.
For a long time people thought of me has a quack and nutcase. I was never taken seriously has being a real doctor. Near the end, I began to doubt myself until my assistant brought her in. She was already dead, had been so for at least a couple hours but the first time I looked into her rain soaked face I knew I would succeed. He had commissioned me to revive her from the dead back into the world of the living and I would not fail. The first part was the hardest, trying to establish a link to life but finally I succeed one day. Her heart beat again, breath entered her lungs, and my creation lived. After that it became easy. I removed all memories of her past from her mind and like a clock I started her out for that day. Then I changed her physical appearance, making her to suit his wish until finally I was done and she was awoken. For two months, she lived in the lab while we studied her movements and behavior patterns. Finally she was released and I watched my creation walk out the doors and into the arms of a man I deep down really did not trust.
All my memories start on a day when I woke up to a ceiling full of bright lights and a man sitting next to me writing in a chart. He gave me his name but I soon forgot it after I left the clinic. I don't remember much of what happened when I was there, I have no memories of my past or my childhood. Who are my parents? Do I have a family and friends? I never knew that, I only remembered the clinic and then later on my other home. I became the mistress of a very powerful man, he was a leader in the business world with wealth and power beyond anything I had ever seen. He was also the leader of a deadly clan that was not well known. I became in a sense just a sex puppet for his use, dressed in red and black and made to parade around while he flaunted his wealth. He controlled every part of me including my mind.
Eventually I began to think for myself and wonder on the past that seemed always to be shaded in shadows. In the clan, I had friends but they were only my ladies in waiting. I was never allowed to speak to another male except for him. Then I met Alex and I started to gain that streak of independence that soon led me away from the clan and into hiding on the Bebop. Of course, I know he is after me. I was his most prized possession, but I cannot go back until I figure it all out. There is still so much I'm confused on right now.
He figured the wine glass and stared into it's contents. The glassy liquid turned everything upside down and made it larger. Next to him the prostitute in his bed shifted in her sleep and sighed. Her bare arms folded themselves comfortably underneath her head, the black satin coverlet was pulled up to cover her breasts.
He looked at those breasts, the tops just barely peeking out from underneath their cover. It had not been good, the sex was no good. She had tried to please him but she did not know and inevitable she had failed. Of course, he had not told her that, he had let her get off before she fell asleep. Still it wasn't the same has if she were there.
He downed his glass of wine and stood up unabashed at his nakedness. A robe lay near by, neatly folded on the chair. He picked it up and slipped it on, tying the sash over his waist. The prostitute never even awoke to the sound of him setting down his glass and walking out of the room.
" You know what to do," he whispered to the burly guard standing outside the door.
The man nodded and slipped inside carefully closing the door behind him. He walked over to the bed already unbuttoning his shirt. This was one of his favorite parts of the night, when his master came out and gave him the word. She was a pretty thing, blond hair, and thin tanned arms. He would have fun with her, she might make that squealing sound. He hoped she would, he loved it when they begged, it made his job so much easier.
She awoke when she felt something climb up on top of her. A lazy smile graced her face has she purred and opened her legs for easier access.
" Already for another go around? Don't you know this is going to cost you extra?" She opened her eyes to see that the man on top of her was not who she thought it was but instead someone else. " Who are you?" She gasped dropped her arms away from him.
" Your last omission," he replied raising the shiny gun and pulling back the lock.
Her eyes widened in fright as her breath caught in her throat. He picked up a pillow from next to her head and placed it over her face.
" The master says goodbye."
He smiled has the gunshot echoed through the air. There was no screaming tonight, she had been a quiet one. That was quite a shock, usually they begged for their lives before they were shot. Of course, it was a messy job to do, the bloodstains in the sheets were murder to get out and he was forever buying new pillowcases, but no one must know about him. No prostitute was allowed to live after sharing his bed.
" Master I have news!" A man ran up behind him and bowed at the waist.
" Is it about her?" He stopped and placed his hand in the pockets of his robe.
" Yes, our agents have traced her whereabouts, she's headed to Venus with a group of bounty hunters."
" Wonderful, send some of our best agents to Venus, establish a phony bounty with a price that will wet their appetites. Make sure that only our special bounty boys know about it and go after it."
" Yes sir." The man turned to run off.
" Wait!" He turned around and smiled. " Make sure that your agents know to kill the others but don't hurt a hair on her head. I want to see her, again."
" Yes sir. The man ran off down the hall while he turned and walked back to his quarters. How wonderful, she was coming back to him at last.
Ivy picked up an apple from the table and studied it looking for bruises and blemishes. When she found none she slipped it into the bag she was holding with all the others and choose another one. Six apples went into that bag, the seventh one she held onto has she paid the clerk and walked off.
The market was busy with shoppers and merchants hawking their wares and trying to make a sale or a purchase. Ivy ignored all this and took a bite of her apple, the tangy sweetness touched her tongue and ran down her throat has she chewed and swallowed.
The Bebop had landed yesterday after catching what was in everyone's opinion a mediocre bounty with a mere one million-woulong price tag. After Jet had turned him in Ivy had taken what he gave her and went out to buy food. Now a heavy basket full of food banged against her leg as she walked back to the Bebop chewing on her apple and getting lost in her thoughts.
Spike opened his eyes and slipped the book away from his face at the sound of the TV turning on. Ein gave him a look and jumped off the table away from the television he had just turned on.
" Howdy Amigos! And now it's time for Big Shot!"
" The show that's all about criminals!"
" I didn't know it was time for Big Shot already." Spike sat up and scratched his head.
" That's because you've been asleep all day Spike," Faye replied walking into the room and taking a seat on the couch next to him. " You've missed everything that's happened in the real world."
" Like what?" Spike asked getting a smug tone in his voice.
" The propeller on the engine breaking off so that I have to get a new one," Jet grumbled dropping a mangled piece of metal on the floor.
The others looked behind them to see Jet standing in the doorway then down to his feet where a twisted and broken metal blade lay.
" Tough shot," Faye replied turning back around to watch TV.
" And now we have some big news for all you 300,000 bounty hunters out there!"
" We sure do, this is a first in Big Shot history," Judy replied squeezing her hands together in excitement.
" It seems that we have a brand new bounty worth a whopping 30 million woulong."
" 30 million?" Everyone crowded around the television.
" His name is Sylvester Hashon and he is wanted for charges of murder to a high government official."
" Ooo he's kind of cute," Judy squealed looking at the picture of a dark haired man with bright rather intense blue eyes and small scar on his lip.
" What are you saying Judy! He's a wanted killer!"
" Yes, but he still is a cutie pie," Judy replied sighing and tilting her head to the side.
" Yes well anyway Amigo's there is a catch with this bounty."
" A catch? What kind of catch sugar pie?"
" He can only be caught and turned in by one group of bounty hunters. Anyone else will be null and void."
" Wow, tough break. So who are these men allowed to capture him?"
" Let's see," a pitchfork appeared carrying a piece of paper on it. Punch took the paper and read it then looked up at the screen and tilted his hat. " It seems that only the bounty hunters of the ship, Bebop are going to be allowed to capture this man."
" Wow! Good luck Bebop boys!" Judy waved and blew a kiss to the screen.
Meanwhile the people in the room sat in total shock trying to make sense of what they heard when Ivy walked in the door.
" This just arrived for us," she held up a package in her hand wrapped into layers of brown paper and covered with stickers.
" What is it?" Jet got up and walked over to where she stood.
" I don't know, a penguin delivery truck came and dropped off. There were no charges or anything. He just asked if this was the Bebop and when I said yes, he handed me the package and left." Ivy replied handing him the package.
" It looks like it's been around," Jet turned the package over in his hands reading the labels. " It can't be something to important, it's not very big.
" Well open it up so we can see what it is," Faye replied impatiently.
Jet ripped off the paper slowly in case it was ticking bomb or something. It wasn't instead he pulled out a small black box.
" What the? What is this?" He turned the box over in his hands while Spike and Faye leaned in to get a closer look.
" It looks like that beta tape we got before."
" Yea but it's longer then the beta," Faye replied turning towards Spike.
" What's a beta?" Ivy asked looking up from the tape.
" A piece of crap," Spike replied blowing out a stream of smoke. " The picture on those things aren't even worth talking about."
"Oh…."
" Ed knows what that is."
Everyone turned to see Ed standing on her hands in the middle of the room.
" Well what is it Ed," Jet held up the tape to her. Ed walked forward on her hands and took the tape in between her feet. " It's a VHS, kind of like a Beta but not really. Ed knows how to play it also."
" Yea, lets see what's on that thing, maybe it will be interesting." Spike replied.
" Ed will set up the equipment." Ed walked off on her hands still holding onto the tape.
" I wonder if this another key to Faye's past?" Jet muttered to himself.
" Do you think it could be?" Faye asked whipping around towards Jet.
" We'll just have to wait and see," Jet replied.
Ed soon returned with the TV and VCR needed to play the tape. While she set them up Jet and Spike moved the furniture around so they could view the show. Ivy prepared some snacks and brought them into the main room and Faye just yelled at Ed to go faster.
Finally, the equipment was ready. Ed pressed the play button and scurried over to the couch where she climbed up between Spike and Jet.
Static filled the screen than cleared showing a well-done room with a fire roaring in the fireplace. A chair sat with it's back to the screen.
" My name is already known to you since you have seen the Big Shot episode just aired so I will skip all formal introductions." One hand slipped out holding a cane. " I send you this tape to make a preposition. It's really nothing big, lets just say it's a deal." The cane tapped on the floor once then twice.
" You have something I want back, lets just say you stole it and I now I want what is rightfully mine." The chair turned around slightly showing his profile covered in shadows. " My name is Sylvester Hashon and has you know there is a bounty out except you are the only ones who are allowed to cash in on it. I wanted the very best to catch me and you are the best. I want to have some fun before going to jail so to say." He laughed, a deep rich laugh that rumbled up from his chest.
Ed shook her can of soda and opened it up spraying Jet and Spike with it. They both gave her dirty looks and wiped the foam off their faces.
" Meet me at the Venetian ruins tomorrow night at 1am. Bring any weapon but only what you can carry. I'll be waiting for you."
The tape cut off and ended. Ed got up and pressed a button to eject the tape.
" Well looks we've been invited to a fight," Spike stretched his arms over his head and stood up.
" Yes but I don't like it, it doesn't seem right. It's too fishy, a bounty that only we can catch and a tape telling us where he wants to be found? I think we should take our time on this." Jet replied rubbing his chin in thought.
" What's there to wait on, he wants us to fight and that's what we'll do. We'll fight and beat this guy into the ground then we'll except that nice big bounty and everyone will be set. What is that 10 million woulongs each?"
" No because I'm coming with," Ivy replied.
" You? I thought you didn't like fighting?" Spike asked.
" Yea, and I doubt you would ever last 10 seconds in this fight." Faye replied crossing her arms over her chest.
" That man, there was something about him and I intend to find out. I'm not a little girl, I know what to do and how to save my butt."
" Yea but when it comes to an all out fight you'll probably end up getting hurt and then we'll have to save you." Faye replied walking off to the couch.
" Faye has a point, you better stay out of this one Ivy. We can take care of it ourselves." Jet stood up and picked up the bowls off food. " You and Ed can be our back up here on the ship, if something happens you can help us but otherwise I don't want you to be there for the fight." Jet handed her the bowls of food then walked out of the room.
Ivy opened her mouth to say something then closed it again. She looked down at the bowls of cheese curls and pretzels then up at Spike who was looking at her with veiled eyes.
He knew she wouldn't back down that easily.
Spike landed the Swordfish gracefully down onto the pavement next to Hammerhead. Behind him, the Red Tail's doors opened up and Faye jumped out.
" Now listen up, we've got to be careful. He may have counterparts hiding and waiting for his signal. This is to fishy of a job for him to go into alone."
" Yea, yea, I've heard the whole story already," Faye replied waving a hand at him. " I say we just go in there and get this over with. 30 million woulongs are waiting for me."
" More like all of us Faye," Spike grumbled following her into the ruins.
Stone pillars stood everywhere, some had fallen down and now lay in piles of broken rubble while others stood tall supporting the stone roof above them. The three walked through a tunnel of these pillars into an open space area. The stars shone down from the night sky slightly blotted by the floating plants.
In the middle under the disguise of starlight, a man stood smoking a cigarette.
" Are you Sylvester Hashon?" Faye asked stepping forward and reaching for her gun.
" I may be, and who are you?"
" My name is of little importance to you. Just put your hands up and lets make this easy. I have a bounty to cash in." Faye raised her gun to him and placed one hand on the trigger.
" I wish I could make it that easy but I'm afraid I can't." He dropped the cigarette down on the ground and smashed it underneath his feet. " You see, you have something I want and in order to get it back I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill you." He stepped into the light and held up a gun. " Goodbye." The gun was raised into the air and fired.
All around them gunfire opened up. The three jumped out of the way and ran for cover behind the ruins.
" Damn it! I should have known he would give up that easily!" Faye cried shielding her head.
" I told you!" Jet yelled back has he pulled out his gun and opened fire on a group of men shooting at them.
" Were completely surrounded by these idiots." Spike shot off a round of bullets then hid again has a round came back to him.
" Then the only thing we can do is kill off the accomplishes and get Hashon. We need that bounty on his head." Jet got up and ran off firing his gun has he went.
" Oh great, let's make it harder then it already is," Faye groaned.
In the middle of it all Sylvester stood laughing and holding out his arms. " I will win this one for the great glory of my master!"
" His master? What is he talking about?" Spike shot off another round of bullets effectively taking out a man then ran closer so he could get Sylvester.
" Kill them all men! Then we will go for the prize!"
" The prize?" Spike shot a man aiming for him then jumped up over the pile of rubble towards Sylvester. " Your all mine now buddy!"
Sylvester turned around and grinned, with a flash he whipped out a knife and drove it blade first into Spike's stomach.
Spike cried out with pain and backed up. One hand flew to his stomach where the knife blade was and pulled it out. Warm blood gushed out staining his clothes and dripping onto the stone terrence.
" That was a big mistake," he growled raising his gun to aim at Sylvester.
" Oh was it? Well I can think of a bigger one, leaving the girl behind on the ship." Sylvester laughed and stepped away to reveal Ivy with her arms bound up behind her head and a gag in her mouth being held by captive by one of his accomplishes.
" Let her go she has nothing to do with this!"
" Oh she doesn't? Well that's what you think but in reality she does. You see she is not your property, she is my master's, and he wants her back. So we are just taking what is rightfully ours and destroying the thieves." Sylvester held up a gun aimed right for Spike's head and pulled the trigger.
A gunshot rang out but it was not headed for Spike, instead it hit Sylvester Hashon right in the head shattering his skull. He fell over in a puddle of blood, the gun skidding away from his into the darkness. Next to his lifeless body stood Faye, she was breathing hard and pale but both hands held up her gun completely still to where he had stood.
" I don't think so buddy. You won't be getting away with shooting my comrades today."
" You bitch! I'll make you pay for that!" The man holding Ivy pushed her down to the ground and reached for his gun.
Ivy fell face forward and landed with a loud thud on the stone. Spike ran forward to try and catch her but was stopped by a shot to his arm. The bullet whizzed past slicing into the muscle. He cried out with pain and fell back grasping his arm to stem the flow of blood.
" I will make you pay for killing Stavlo like that." He raised the gun again this time towards Faye when a shot rang out and hit him right in the heart.
The gun clattered to the ground and he fell forward dying even before his body hit the stone.
Everyone still for a moment looking down in complete shock at the lifeless body laying there than up to see Jet standing in the semi-darkness holding up his gun his finger still on the trigger.
" I think we got them all." Jet lowered his gun and slipped it away.
" Yea I think we did," Faye replied putting her gun away has she looked down at the two dead bodies.
Spike didn't say anything, he just watched has Jet untied Ivy and removed the gag from her mouth. She lay very still has he untied her, almost like she was dead or unconscious but when he had freed the bindings she opened her eyes and stood up.
" Are you in any pain? Did they do anything to you?" Jet asked standing up also and looking over her for any bruises or cuts.
" No I'm fine," Ivy replied softly brushing some hair out of her face and refusing to meet anyone's eyes.
" Well just incase we better have you checked out by a doctor and you too Spike," he added looking over Spike who was cringing from his wounds.
" Yea and then we can all go back to the ship and mourn over the loss of our 30 million woulong bounty." Faye replied walking over to help Spike back to the ships.
Jet looked down at Ivy who was avoiding his gaze then followed Spike and Faye out of the opening leaving her alone. She looked around at the dead bodies and the blood staining the gray stone and shuddered before running over to catch up with them.
" Howdy Amigos and now it's time for Big Shot!"
" The show that tells you all about criminals!"
Spike opened his eyes and turned towards the TV. Big Shot was on.
" And now for today's hot news. It seems that the bounty that was put out on the killer Sylvester Hashon was a fake."
" It sure was, and it was such a mean joke too," Judy replied clasping her hands together and making a sad face.
" It seems that this man had never killed a government official in his life but instead was nothing but a member of the White Tiger clan and the bounty was a fake put out by them to catch a member of their group.
" A member?" Spike stood up and winced in pain.
" Ooo! Sounds scary! I'm glad I'm not a member of their group."
" You should be Judy, because once a clan owns you...."
" They own you for life," Spike replied turning his head to look down the hall where Ivy was hiding in her room.
Something was definetly going on here.
See you Space Cowboy…Jet: After the last episode, it was decided that the Bebop needed a break.
Faye: Yea, no kidding, that last episode was really sad.
Ed: Ed and Ein weren't even in it.
Spike: Who cares about that. I've got some other questions I want to know about.
Jet: The next episode is "Birthday Party Blues."
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