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It was already midnight.
The judge had no problem staying up that late. Like half of the judges assigned to Carlon City, he worked most nights and slept during the day. Most cases he worked were the usual murder, theft or illegal arms-dealing, but the one he was handling now proved to be something worth remembering. Not unusual, but definitely worth his attention.
"So your name is Rose?" Greene asked, looking down at the woman seated next to his desk. She looked like she was about to fall asleep, obviously drained from the events of the past hour. Earlier, the judge paid a visit to Dex's flat after sending the merc to the precinct. He found a wounded, and badly shaken woman sitting with a kitchen knife in hand.
Getting her to come to the precinct was a challenge, as Rose remained apprehensive about trusting a judge. Greene saw to her injuries first before calling her in for questioning, that and offering her a nice warm cup of coffee to help keep her up through the process. It worked like a charm, and Rose cooperated without a hitch.
"Yes." She replied softly, brushing aside a stray lock of brown hair.
"Just Rose? No surname?"
"I was never given one." The woman revealed, "I grew up among whores. Everyone was known on a first-name basis."
"Dex mentioned you work at the Oasis." Greene set the pip-pad on the desk and took a seat opposite of Rose. The story had been told after all the pieces had been put together. He was just doing a routine background check, just something to put in her case file and help him gauge her reliability as a witness. "That where you grew up in?"
"No. I grew up on the road, traveling with a pleasure-caravan."
Pleasure-caravans were a lot like merchant caravans, though the more accurate term would be brothels-on-wheels. It started out as a bunch of waster nomads wandering the desert together, offering themselves to settlers in exchange for whatever they could trade. Guns, bullets, food and water. Never staying in one place for too long, they would move to the next settlement, repeating the practice. Sometimes, a few girls would settle down and leave the caravan. Wherever they went, brothels sprouted like weeds. Or as most would rather think, they sprouted like flowers in a desert oasis, providing comfort in a harsh land.
The Oasis, as the sentiment implied, was one of those places.
They usually traveled through Dominion held main roads, taking advantage of the protection provided by the road-patrols that guarded the highways of the order, allowing settlements to sample their wares in exchange for supplies. Prostitution was the oldest profession in the world, and often the most lucrative. While it wasn't technically legal, businesses like theirs were only found outside Elysion.
"I ended up in the Oasis when I was...I dunno, sixteen? Been working there ever since."
"I see." Greene mused, "What's your relationship with Dexter Weiss?"
"He's a client."
"Your favorite client?"
Rose felt her face burn at the suggestion. Not many knew about her infatuation with the merc, especially not the peacekeepers. "I don't...I don't know what you mean."
Greene noted her discomfort, and her poor attempts at dodging the question. "You were found in his apartment, several blocks from yours. I was just curious as to how you knew exactly where and who to run to when you were in trouble."
Rose crossed her arms and adamantly refused to answer.
The judge smirked, moving on as he knew the relevance of that inquiry wasn't as important. "Alright then, next question. Did you know Jimmy Mannix personally?"
Rose's gaze hardened into a glare at the mention of the dead merc's name, "No. Not really."
"Was he also a client of yours in the Oasis?"
"No. He liked younger girls. I was too old for him."
"Hmm." Greene continued, "Can you remember how these 'younger girls' saw his behavior?"
"No, but the madam had him blacklisted and banned from the Oasis. That should answer your question."
"Yes, it does." The judge agreed, "When he attacked you in your apartment, has he done this to you before?"
"No."
"Do you have any idea why he would want to hurt you?"
Rose sank back, withdrawing as her mind was forced to live the horrid moment again. She remained silent for a long time, goading the judge to move to help her out of the bad spot she was in.
"Rose, I need you to answer the question." He said as soft as his rough, sandpapery voice would allow. "It may be the only way you can help your friend Dex."
She looked at him quizzically, "What's gonna happen to him?"
"I won't lie to you, Rose, he's in a pretty bad situation right now." The judge replied, "Dex killed three men. Granted that they were guilty of attempted rape and attempted murder, it's the peacekeepers' job- my job- to dispense capital punishments. Thereby he's guilty of murder, and that is a capital offense. He may be executed for his crime."
"You can't kill him!" The woman protested vehemently, "Carver's the one at fault here! Bastard deserved what he got!"
"Calm down." Greene reassured her, "I agree with you wholeheartedly. However, there are three people taking a dirt nap right now because of Dex, and I cannot ignore that."
"Please..." Rose's eyes, still red from her tears earlier, welled up again at the thought of the merc taking the fall for her. "Don't kill him. I'll...I'll do anything."
Other men, lesser men, would've jumped at the chance and taken advantage of the woman right there and then. Not Greene. "Rose, what I need from you right now- the only thing I need from you- is your cooperation. Take a minute, recompose yourself."
Rose stifled her sobs and did as the judge asked. "Okay...how can I help Dex?"
Greene nodded and leaned back on his chair, thinking long and hard about what to do next. "Vigilantism is strictly prohibited, but the law allows some of its forms if certain conditions to the case fall within its category. Honestly, Dex's case narrowly falls within its parameters." He looked her in the eye and told her what he was going to do, as he'd found a loophole. "I need your written statement on what happened, don't spare any details. Do that for me, and Dex walks free."
"Y-You mean it, judge?"
Greene nodded again, "Bounty-hunters in the Dominion are sanctioned to retrieve or neutralize criminals, slavers or raiders. As far as I'm concerned, Jimmy Mannix and his friends had a bounty on their heads the moment they attacked you. Citizen or not, you are under Dominion protection."
Rose started to cry, this time with tears of gratitude. "Thank you, judge!"
Greene got up, feeling glad that the case was solved quickly, and that he made someone's day a little bit better. "When you're finished, I want you to come with me to the holding cells. We'll both give Dex the good news."
Rose wrote down the events of the night, including every single sordid detail her mind could recall. When she was done, she set the pen down and followed Judge Greene down the stairs to the precinct holding cells. She expected to see each cell being made up of the usual metal bars, or mesh-wire fences. Instead, the holding cells looked like the inside of a beehive, all hexagon-shaped and painted white like the inside of a hospital.
The Dominion liked to make its buildings and their interiors esthetically pleasing, even with their prisons.
Judge Greene saluted the guards standing over one cell, "Good evening, gentlemen. Please open the cell, I'd like to have a word with Mr. Weiss before setting him free."
The cell door unlocked with a horrid blare, opening with a faint hiss to reveal a pacing, nervous mercenary. Seeing the judge, a look of panic breezed by Dex's face then left as soon as he caught sight of Rose.
"Eros? What's going on?"
Rose smiled, staying silent for the moment to let the judge speak first.
"Dexter Weiss, you're being released." Greene motioned for the guard to uncuff the man, "Congratulations on having one of the quickest cases to be solved in Carlon."
Dex stepped out of the cell, free from his restraints and very much bewildered over the unexpected turn of events. Rose closed the distance and threw her arms around the merc. He squeezed her tight against his body, relief finally dawning on him as he turned to look at the judge who saved his hide.
"Thank you judge."
"Thank her." Greene pointed to Rose, "Without her statement, you'd be joining Mannix six feet under."
Dex looked at the woman beaming up at him, "Eros, baby I owe you my life."
She kissed him, whispering softly. "My name is Rose, sweetie. I think you more than earned it."
"Don't forget to pick up your stuff on the way out." The judge said as the couple turned to leave. He fished for a small credit coin, worth 1 credit. "Oh, and Dex? This is for you."
The merc caught the coin as Greene flipped it his way, "What's this for?"
"The bounty. The bounty for Jimmy Mannix and his crew." The judge replied, "Be safe out there, you two. And please, Dex, stay out of trouble."
The bed squeaked over and over again in protest as the combined weight of their bodies pressed down against the springs and rocked back and forth on the mattress. Rose, eager to give her lover his well deserved reward, thanked him profusely. All the passion she'd been holding in reserve, locking it up and away from her usual clients, she poured freely for Dex.
They didn't care that it was already 2 in the morning, and that the noise they were making was disturbing the neighbors.
Rose didn't stop riding her man until he had his fill. She watched for the telltale signs; of his labored expression, the hoarseness of his grunts and the tightness of his grip as his roaming hands mauled her breasts and hips. He was holding out, the poor guy, choosing to at least help her reach her own climax.
"Baby." Rose purred, moving her hips for a slow and torturous grind in a circle. "Don't hold back. This is all for you."
The merc was nearing the end of his strength. It just wasn't enough. "Sorry..." He groaned as his whole body became tense, and his leg muscles pulled taut. She milked him dry, and he fell back to the soft pillows, absolutely spent.
"Shh..." Rose hushed him as she got off, slipping in close to lie by his side. "I told you I'd take care of you."
Dex looked at her, pausing to admire how beautiful she was. It angered him to think that Carver was so close to ruining something so perfect, just because he couldn't let things go.
He's dead now, of course. And she was safe. "I love you baby."
Rose had a feeling it was going that way. Back then, she might've protested, but now she was more than ready to take things a step further. "I love you too, Dex." She kissed his cheek, gasping softly as she felt his hand grab her backside. "You own this ass now, sweetie."
They spent the next hour lying awake, unable to drift off no matter how comfortable they were in each other's arms. Rose never felt that way before with anyone. Plenty of men, and even women, liked to snuggle up post-coitus. Dex was different, he was special.
When he was the one holding her, Rose felt invincible. Those massive arms would protect her against anything and anyone.
If she was getting tied down to anyone, it would be him.
"So, your name is Rose?" Dex rumbled as he played with her hair.
"Yeah."
"Where'd you get the name Eros?"
Rose moved her head until it was resting on top of his chest. The way it rose and fell with every breath filling his lungs was manly as hell, and Rose found herself lost to the beating rhythm of his heart drumming on in her ear. She imagined if she listened to that long enough, she'd probably fall asleep before long. She looked up at Dex and noticed him waiting for her answer.
"Sorry baby, I got distracted."
Dex ran his hand along the curve of her back, "I said where'd you get the name Eros?"
"Oh, I got it from an old book I read. It's some Old World mythical god who's supposed to be the patron of love and sex. I thought it was fitting for...y'know, the kind of profession I'm in? I liked it for the way it put a twist on my real name, and it stuck."
"You thinking about going back to work anytime soon?"
Rose sighed, "I don't even know if I wanna go back at all."
"Then...what do you want to do?"
"I really don't know, sweetie." Rose replied, looking up at him with those beautiful hazel eyes that matched her brown hair. "All I can think about is how much I wanna be with you. I'm tired of being treated like a piece of meat, tired of selling myself for a quick buck just to stay alive. When I'm with you, you treat me like a human being. I don't care if it doesn't pay as much, but I'll do anything to stay with you."
Dex smiled, feeling his future- their future- growing brighter by the second. He remembered the one thing that bothered him from the other day, right before the mess with Carver. "Well, I can think of something that might work out for the both of us."
"Baby." Rose folded her arms over his chest and rested her head in between, "I'm all ears."
"My sister's part of a Dominion expedition that's headed south, out into uncharted territory. It's gonna be dangerous, but it just might be well worth the trouble."
"I don't mind a little danger, if you're there to protect me." Rose beamed at him, "What's the pay?"
"6000 credits."
"Holy shit."
Dex grinned, "I know. If we do this and get back, I can get you processed for Dominion citizenship. No more shitty living, shitty pay or shitty jobs in this city for you, not when Elysion's your home."
Rose felt a little apprehensive, "But...I got nothing to contribute. I'm just a dumb whore, Dex. My only skillset is between my legs."
"You're not a dumb whore, Rose." Dex said, "You're smart, smart enough to have survived in Carlon this long. The journey will be long, I can teach you things along the way."
"Dex, I don't know...I'm willing to do this if you are. I don't wanna be a burden to anyone."
"Trust me, it will work." The man reassured her, "Are you with me?"
Rose nodded, "What do I have to do? Just say the word."
Dex retrieved his clothes and got dressed, "I have a spare outfit and some merc gear you can use. Hope's gonna size you up, see if you're expedition material, so you gotta look the part." He handed her the stuff and walked off to collect the essentials for the journey.
Guns, ammunition, extra clothes, and some medical items. He put them all in a backpack and a rucksack, and moved to help Rose get dressed. The woman had some difficulty knowing which went where, such as the harnesses or holster straps. Dex showed her how things were done, feeling like a parent helping his child master the skill of tying shoelaces.
When she was finished, Rose had transformed from just another eye candy to a mercenary with a pretty face in minutes. She fit right well into the suit, too.
"Nice." Dex paused to admire his work, absolutely loving the way the leather hugged her body in all the right places. He handed the smaller rucksack for Rose to carry, "Come on, let's go meet the expedition team."
It was now close to five in the morning.
Lt. Hope stood at the ramp leading into the Centaur, an armored personnel carrier that served as the expedition's primary mode of transportation through the Wasteland, waiting for her brother until his time was up. The massive machine, powered by two Mastodon-Type fusion engines, was the standard land transporter of the Dominion military as of 2101. Known for its heavy armor, long longitudinal chassis with eight all-terrain wheels, and reliable offensive weaponry, the Centaur saw action in every expedition sent into the Wasteland.
Not a single detachment was found without one. It was fast, easy to maintain, and esthetically pleasing to the eye.
Hope's expedition was consisted of one team of six scientists and an escort of thirty soldiers in which she'll be in charge of, all handpicked from the finest choices Elysion had to offer.
The Dominion's paramilitary divisions were divided into five distinct groups. Rooks, Knights, Bishops, Queens and Kings. Based on the High Marshal's proposed ideology, and the need for easy recognition or distinction.
The Rooks were, understandably, the fighting arm of the Dominion. Their symbol, a white castle on a black standard, represented the might of their armored vehicles and of the stalwart soldiers that served in the army. Their role, as of late, was largely focused on putting down insurrectionists along the frontier and hunting down raider or slaver factions beyond the border.
The Knights, though not exactly part of the army, were the Dominion's hybrid soldiers. Their standard was of the black horse chess-piece on a white flag. No one, except for the Bishops and the High Marshal himself, knew how they were created. These transhuman supersoldiers were the backbone of the Dominion in its earlier days, responsible for expanding its borders while the radiation storms were still strong.
They were stronger, faster and more resilient than normal humans and had a significantly longer lifespan. Sightings of Knights were rare, or rather, rarely reported as the nature of their work was kept under wraps from the public eye.
The Bishops, in simple terms, were the Dominion's brightest and most creative minds, responsible for the creation of the many technological wonders they had today.
The Queens and Kings were the colloquial term for the elected officials of the Dominion's Council of Representatives. They didn't technically hold any power, any more than what the High Marshal granted them. Their words and concerns helped shape decisions, truly acting as counselors than leaders.
The High Marshal was the supreme ruler of the Dominion. Through his years of leading the men and women of this great and relatively young nation, Stern had worked to give them a brighter tomorrow. All he asked was their undying loyalty and willingness to serve.
This expedition of hers, sanctioned to deliver the flag of the Dominion elsewhere, would be Hope's service- her offering to repay for the good life she spent in Elysion.
"What the hell is taking so long?" Hope huffed.
"I don't think he's coming, ma'am." Sgt. Sterling said as he walked up to board the transport. "Best head on in, we're supposed to be leaving in a couple of minutes."
"I hear you, sergeant." She replied with a shake of the head, "Let's get this over with."
"Hope! Wait up!"
She stopped, rolling her eyes in a mix of annoyance and relief. "Cutting it close there, little brother." The lieutenant turned to look at Dex, suddenly taken aback upon seeing his companion. "I said there's only one slot, Dex. What the hell are you doing bringing in a freeloader, huh?"
"She's not going to be a freeloader, sis." Dex defended, "She'll contribute to the team, I promise you that."
Choosing to judge the woman herself, Hope ignored her brother and approached the newcomer. She looked way too young, too fresh-faced, to be an experienced merc. "What's your name, kid?"
"Rose."
"You any good in a fight, Rose?"
"Um...I can be."
"You brought me a rookie, Dex? Is this your idea of a joke?" Hope said, frowning at her brother. "I'm not laughing, see?"
"It's not a joke, Hope. She's coming with me."
"The hell she is." The lieutenant refused, "There's no room for her in this team. Don't you realize that there's only a set amount of supplies we have for the journey south? And don't get me started on the compensation fee- I'm not paying another 6000 credits for her."
"But I will." Dex said, surprising both Hope and Rose with his offer. "Don't pay me my fee. Pay her instead. I'll work for your team free of charge."
Hope was dumbfounded for a long while. When she found her voice, she showed her amazement. "I gotta say, I was not expecting that. Why are you so generous all of a sudden?"
"She's with me, Hope. You're a man short, and I'm the one willing to take you up on that offer. Rose comes, or you leave without me. Take it or leave it."
"Oh, that's dirty, you using my words against me." Hope said with a shake of her head, "Fine. But you two should hold your own in this flight, especially you Rose. Can I trust you to earn your keep in this team?"
"Yeah." The woman's hand went up to grab on to Dex's arm. "You can."
Hope threw her brother a suspicious look at the sight of that, but saved her questions for later. "Alright then. Get your asses over to the transporter."
A minute later, the expedition convoy moved out into the Wasteland, southbound into the unknown. Rose rested her head on Dex's shoulder and held his hand. Their fingers intertwined together, and the merc closed his eyes to sleep.
It had been a bad day and a hell of a night for the both of them, but at least now they'd be facing the coming days together.
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