Last Day In Leda
Tara Loughead
Copyright 2010 Tara Loughead
A Bulays and Ghaavn Adventure
The Karshi Imperative Part 7
1.
The Northhound was en route to a rendezvous with the Slave Ship of Space. Buck was at the helm, with Bulays sitting next to her. Emar was dozing in the passenger compartment.
"She said she needs her rest. That teleport trick apparently uses a lot of energy."
"I can imagine," Buck said. "Has to be better than being retrieved in a forcefield bubble, though."
Bulays grimaced at the memory. "Definitely."
"We'll be there shortly," Buck said. "You might like to let Her Majesty know."
Bulays levered herself out of the seat next to the pilot, giving the space ace a taste of her own arse flashing medicine into the bargain. Buck chuckled. "I'll give that a 6.5."
Moving back into the passenger compartment, Bulays knelt down by the dozing Emar, who was asleep in a chair. Bulays lightly put a hand on her shoulder, and kissed her cheek. A pair of dazzling green eyes opened to regard her a little sleepily. "Are you up for this, love?"
"This part is fine. It is afterwards I need the preparation for."
"Hold on to this, child," Emar said, passing Buck a small green, gem. The space ace looked at Bulays quizzically.
"Just do what she says, kid, believe me. Not everyone gets an offer like that."
*****
"Those are very nice handcuffs. Would you let me see?" Emar asked very disingenuously, but with a straight face. She pointed to the gold set dangling from Safire's belt.
When Mistress Safire passed them over warily, the Death Queen of Neptune took them in one hand, closed it, then dropped the crushed pieces of wrist restraints to the floor.
"Now, my dear redheaded slave shipper, would you like to tell us what we need to know?"
Mistress Safire looked down at the floor, then back up. Emar moved directly in front of her, and took her chin in the hand not full of handcuff dust. She looked the dominatrix owner in the eyes. "If you are good, I have an offer for you. How would you like to be whipped by me?" Emar saw Safire's nostrils flare, and that her own insight was good. "Does the thought of being flogged when the next caress of the lash, rather than welting skin, might break your spine turn you on?"
"Yes," said Mistress Safire, keeping her knees locked with an effort. It was rare for her to find a personality she could submit to; but here was such a woman. A gorgeous, deadly, inhuman dominant in a voluptuous green bodysuited package. She was getting positively wet.
"I reckon a sexual experience courtesy of my killer girlfriend is a lot better than being shot for treason. Painlessly, too, so a bad way to go for you." Bulays added. Emar flashed her a smile and a wink at that.
"So, you tell us what we want to know, and you get to take off all your clothes, be chained to a wall, and thrill to the kiss of the whip. And probably live through it, if that sexy hunk of blonde amazon over there doesn't distract me overly much."
*****
"A blindfold do you think, Bulays? This might be an execution, after all." She waved a hand at Mistress Safire, now chained to a bar on her own wall. A metal collar left her unable to turn her head around.
"Yep. 'eightens the other senses." The blonde woman unzipped the front of her tight-fighting black combat suit. With a couple of deft shoulder movements and the use of a hand she had freed a black brassiere from her body. She waved it at Emar, totally neglecting to cover the expanse of deep cleavage and full breast now on display. Not to be outdone in this little game, Emar followed suit with her suit, and with a swing of her hips she stepped over to relieve Bulays of her underwear. Bulays licked her lips at the décolletage and bare skin all the way past her navel to just above pubic hair now displayed by her lover.
Emar moved to blindfold Safire tightly with the black garment. The bound woman had to fight to keep from moving, the smell of Bulays now just above her nostrils. "Very good," said Emar. "No sounds now,” she breathed into Safire's ear and finished covering her eyes. Her fingers darted out to twist one of the woman's nipples, hard. The woman flinched, but did not cry out. Emar sauntered back to the other side of the room, picking up the whip from its place on the table. She moved to within range, and with a snap of her wrist over her shoulder let fly. The whip cracked sharply. Safire didn't move as she felt the passing of the air the tip made just over the crease of her buttocks. Emar torqued her hips in a deliberate turn, the movement almost freeing a breast from its green confines. She struck with a backhanded flick of the wrist. Bulays sat forward eagerly to contribute a distraction, her upper arms pressing the slopes of her breasts together. The whip crack caused Safire's buttocks to clench, as the tip ever so lightly brushed across both cheeks.
Bulays grinned at the torment.
*****
Emar and Bulays both zipped up at the front, and kissed. Safire sagged trembling against the wall. "I have what I need to be able to find her."
Bulays brushed the back of a hand against Emar's cheek as they parted. "Be careful, love."
"I will. That is also what family is for." She smiled at Bulays as she faded out in a green glow.
Bulays walked to the wall with the chained woman. "Well, Mistress S, let's organise me a shuttle to my ride." The naked, sweating shivering dominated Dominatrix nodded as Bulays started unlocking her chains.
*****
"Htapele! To me, now!" Emar called.
Slowly her sisters started to appear around her in similar manner to her departure from the Slave Ship of Space.
Ilar materialised first. "You have found her?"
"I believe so." Emar's voice was grim.
"Let's go kill the bitch," stormed Unar, stumbling in her newly arrived anger.
"Unar, be calm." Osar advised sternly. "Rash action here means funerals. I don't like those. Remember the past."
"Not even I will be able to help you where Ytar is concerned," said Avar.
"Now, here's what I have in mind," Emar outlined to her sisters. The expression on the flaming Unar's face began to change from angry to eager.
*****
Ytar was alone in what you could only term a secret lair. A sinfully luxurious one, at that. Furnished more high class hotel than mad scientist. She didn't actually have guards inside her own chambers. Even so, and with the element of surprise, Emar almost lost. She materialised, attacking Emar in a blaze of green energy. Her cousin countered, snarling, long curly locks flying. She had been relaxing, not travelling or interrogating, unlike the tired Queen of Neptune. The purplish gray riposte pushed Emar back, and in seconds the woman in green was sweating. She was being overpowered, and she knew it. Straining, she managed to hold her cousin for a few seconds. "Getting old, Ytar? You've beaten me faster than that before."
Ytar pushed harder, attention focused on her opponent. "You might wish that to be true." Emar was being forced backwards. She almost fell over a chair, and Ytar's advantage grew, and she began to insinuate herself past her opponent's shields. And Emar's plan worked.
Ytar's back flared white, blue, brown, orange as four other women arrived. Emar's sisters. Emar grinned nastily. "You might be stronger than me. You aren't stronger than all five of us."
Ytar yelled in frustration, as she realised her assault was being blocked, and they were disrupting her possible escape. "So why aren't you all attacking, five who won't fight fair?"
"Fair! You hypocritical cow! After what you've done...!" Unar yelled back. Ytar smirked.
Osar grabbed Unar by the shoulder. "That's what she wants. A weak link. Do you want to be the one she takes down?" Unar subsided.
"So, cousin,
since you aren't currently pressing your advantage, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"I wanted to look you in the eye when I asked if you are a traitor."
Ytar looked genuinely surprised. "Obviously I don't wish you Htapele harpies well, if that is what you mean."
Emar shook her head. "No. Have you betrayed the Solar System?"
Ytar's eyes burned with a gray intensity. "Why would I want to spoil all this?" She waved open hands around to indicate her inner sanctum of feminine fantasy.
"Why were you working with the Karshi?"
"I did no such thing," Ytar almost growled.
"The Mind Witch doesn't know? This is rich," added Avar.
"In the habit of procuring secret military project details often then, are you?" Emar's rejoinder caused on odd look to pass across Ytar's face.
"Very well. Truce, if you explain."
"Agreed." Ytar powered down her offensive capability. Emar's green pendant, nestled in her cleavage as usual, showed no sign of mind witchery. So she then explained, as far as was necessary for Ytar's information.
"This explains why they didn't flinch at the price I asked, and why I couldn't really read their agent."
"Yes, they have some rather impressive technology," said Ilar. "Perhaps next time you will not let avarice prevent you from detecting the odour of a large blue feathered rodent, cousin."
"What do you propose, Emar?" Ytar asked, ignoring the second oldest Htapele sister.
"We are working on a plan. Obviously I am not going to reveal all of this to you now. However, I would like to make a pact. We cease hostilities until we deal with the aliens. You will have plenty of time to try and kill me if we manage to survive this. We ignore your criminal activities, and so will the humans, for now."
"Go on," Ytar moved her fingers in the age-old get on with it gesture.
"In fact, they may be able to suggest some for you. You are in no circumstances to be involved in any criminal arrangements that may have Karshi involvement. We will of course inform you of those that we suspect or look into."
"That sounds fair," Ytar agreed.
"If extremely necessary, we will ask for your skills."
"You would be helping me to brain-ream someone?" Ytar chuckled evilly. "Oh, I like that one."
"It isn't that easy," Emar warned. "We are prepared to do the heavy lifting in the war if we can. However, if some of us fall, we want you in reserve."
"Reserve for what?"
"There's only one way I can see us having the resources to win. It more than likely will kill us all."
"You mean?"
"Yes, that is exactly what I mean. I want an unbreakable pact that you will join, in blood. Right now."
"Look on the bright side, cuz. It means killing legions of the little blue freaks," Unar put in.
Solemnly, Ytar did not hesitate to agree. "You have my word." She moved to a cabinet, and withdrew an ornate-handled knife. "Will this do?" She asked, as she slashed her palm.
The five sisters moved to join her in sealing a ritual agreement blood to breast.
2.
"I don't like this. Hypatia was supposed to meet us, and now she's late."
"She's not a spy, Ghaavn."
"Mard, she understood the seriousness of what was going on. She knew it was important."
"I'm getting a bad feeling about this." Ghaavn was right, as men began to approach their meeting place. "Mard, go. Just run, they all look armed." Indeed, guns were being drawn, as the two agents made a break for it. They made it past the first two shooters, but not the sniper on the roof who put an armour piercing projectile between each of their shoulder blades. The two Ministry men fell.
*****
"Well," the voluptuous redhead with the flowing mane said. "That's a fine flesh catch we have." She pointed to the two men kneeling naked and manacled in front of her and the woman she had her arm linked with.
"You have a good eye, Hypatia. I am glad you decided to join me." Her partner, dressed in an elegant evening gown and shoes, brown hair immaculately coiffed on top of her head.
"Thank you Paxa," she said, bowing her head. She caught Ghaavn's eye briefly as she raised her head again, rolling her eyes upwards.
"Betrayer!" Mard spat at Hypatia. Paxa gestured sharply, and one of her burly shooters moved to pistol whip Mard to the ground.
"You speak when I allow it, slave. I do believe you just volunteered. We have men and women with needs here. Yours will be the task to satisfy them." Mard groaned in the dirt.
"No!" Ghaavn exclaimed. "Take me. You'll find me rather more satisfying."
"And spoil the fun of breaking him in? I wouldn't dream of denying my faithful servants that pleasure." Paxa leered briefly, and put her arm around Hypatia. "Come, dear; preprandials await."
Guards moved to haul Mard to his feet, groping him excessively. A muscular woman waved her shockprod at Ghaavn, who moved after his partner as directed. She stayed close behind him, admiring the flex of his buttocks and legs as he walked. Ghaavn was happy to notice her distraction for future reference, as they were shoved roughly into a small sleeping kennel and locked in.
*****
"Mard. Look at me. We're going to get out of here." The short-haired brunette junior agent was trembling. Ghaavn realised he had to do something to take his mind off their predicament. So he took him by the shoulders and kissed him. He broke it off. "I am not sure how much you like men, Mard..."
"I do not normally prefer women...but" Mark lunged and kissed Ghaavn back desperately. His leg irons clanked. Ghaavn put his right arm around him to draw him close into an embrace, tongue probing his mouth. His left hand traced a line down Mard's ribs, and along his flank. He reversed the direction, trailing his fingers along Mard's thigh and slid his palm across his stomach. This caused the nervous man's well-defined abdominal muscles to jump as Ghaavn's fingers brushed across sensitive endings. Mark felt the clench deep in his groin a contact. Ghaavn's hand went further, sliding under the rags around Mark's hips, to find a shaft that was rapidly expanding. Ghaavn broke the kiss, and moved his head down Mard's chest, tongue circling a nipple.
Ghaavn moved his head back up, to look Mard in the eyes again. "So, while we can, Mard...do you want to take this further?" Excitement was winning over his fear, as well as the lovely feeling of the striking man's hand fondling his erection. He nodded in acquiescence. Ghaavn took his hand and pulled him down towards the ground.
*****
Ghaavn awoke with Mard lying behind, an arm loosely around him. They did not get to rest long, as the bell sounded for the next shift. A minute later was a bashing at their kennel door. "Up and out. Time for work, snuggleboys. A woman appeared in the light, brandishing her shockprod as she opened the door.
The two men saw a woman being ordered out of the kennel next to theirs. Of a similar build to Hypatia, the rags she wore failing to hide the curve of her hips or the slopes of her breasts. Unlike the therapist, her hair was such a dark brown as to be almost black. The guard jabbed Mard with the shockprod as she caught him looking. He yelped. "Not for you, boy. If you want more than a Level 1 dose, keep looking." Mard averted his eyes, looking at the ground. "Now move it."
*****
A communication reached the Northhound as it neared Titan. "Captain, I need to talk to Bulays."
"I'll get her, Lady Gerald." Buck moved aft, and woke the dozing blonde woman. "Lady G's on the thaumsible." Bulays woke, rubbed her eyes for a couple of seconds, and moved to go and answer.
"Bulays, Ghaavn hasn't checked in."
"How long?"
"He has missed a contact twice, now."
"Definitely sounds like trouble."
"Yes, so be ready to move out when you hit Titan. I'll have help."
*****
The stylish Lady Gerald was waiting for the Northhound's passengers to disembark. A tall woman stood by her side. Hard-bitten, dressed in well worn le
athers, with a face that showed the signs of having had the ravages of sun and space recently repaired. As had faint traces of scars. A flame gun sat holstered on one strong hip, and longish dark hair hung back behind her ears.
Bulays and Buck walked up. "Who's the mercenary, Lady G?" The former enquired, interested.
"Bulays, Buck, this is Norawest Smith."
"Just Smith will do."
"Yes, think I've 'eard of you. Usually on the other side, aren't you?"
"Sides are fluid, Bulays. Money is not."
"Ms. Smith's status is actually an asset, here." Buck nodded at the tall, strong woman as she passed to go inside and refresh herself. "We need a shooter. A killer. I wasn't about to send Gebriahl on a rescue Ghaavn mission."
"Right you are, Lady G." Bulays offered her hand to Norawest. Smith took it and shook briefly and firmly.
"A completely deniable operative. Someone who has a colourful past, so much so that a powerful group owing her a favour would certainly make her current life easier." Smith inclined her head in agreement at this.
"Where's your offsider, then?" Bulays asked.
"Ask the boss." Smith indicated Gerald with a slight jerk of the head.
"I've given her a brief holiday at The Europa. With a rather large drinks tab to spend. Yarola should quite enjoy herself."
"Splitting up partners seems to be going around, then," Bulays observed flatly.
Gerald looked apologetic. "I accept responsibility for what has happened, Bulays. Recriminations later. After Buck has had a short rest, you are leaving again. Another reason for Ms Smith's inclusion. I believe she knows where to look."
Norawest began to talk. "I've known slavers before. I've heard talk of a particularly disturbing group. They like prime targets that they can try and turn into their own operators. Just as likely to be turned into a corpse, though. Supposedly have a secret slave farm, probably on Leda. Although that's not certain. You didn't hear that from me, either."
"Good then. Let's go get geared up, and grab our skinny space ace. We do have some good toys. So don't be shy about asking." Smith followed Bulays, the two warriors moving to load up with their preferred methods of death dealing.
*****
Buck had provided her usual fast and stealthy transport. Bulays and Smith were on the ground, and observing an above-ground guard patrol. "Looks like you were right. A very out of the way place to hide," said Bulays.