[tent Warning: non, rough, svery, sci-f

  The majordomo escorted Kaster through the hallways of the pad down the broad staircase to the first floor.

  Kaster couldn’t help but keep thinking of the Gythiahat had served him. She’d distracted him from Indy-Ra’s torments. Her skills were exceptional, but then he supposed that was to be expected among the sves of the ruling css. He couldn’t help but wonder if she’d been a sve all her life or had been acquired in the same way that Indy-Ra had. The stories of Coalition pirates raiding Federation ships for sves were endless.

  Thoughts of her dark blue lips, whispering in his ear, while she rode him slowly, pyed in his mind. The feel of her engulfing him, squeezing him, milking him, was distrag even after the fact. Her fingers on thighs, massaging him before loosening his trousers, had felt sublime. He was already thinking of returning with another bounty as fast as possible, just for a ple her again.

  “The Gythian sve… what was her name?” Kaster asked as they desded the grand staircase.

  “K’rra,” the majordomo replied with a gnce back, “Did she serve you well?”

  “She did.”

  The majordomo stopped o step and looked back up at Kaster, “That is good. She was the bonus my lord spoke of.”

  Kaster stopped and stared down at him. After a moment of thought he expined, “I’d hoped for moary pensation.”

  The majordomo began walking again, “My lord has taken a liking to you, he sees great potential in our business partnership. It is not every man who receives a bonus such as this.”

  “I’m honored by Hol Vydoeem, but I have no room for a sve on my ship.”

  “Oh?” the majordomo acted surprised, “Is there other crew that we did not know of? Your ship is the Outnder? A Ha Starskipper that was built for a crew of four. The Hol was uhe impression that you operated the vessel alone.”

  This time Kaster stopped. The majordomo turo face him. Kaster did not want to bee entangled in this warlord’s domain. He simply wao sell bounties and remain his own man. “The Outnder is my ship, and I man her alone.”

  The majordomo paused a moment then bowed, “Of course. Not many receive such a vish gift from my lord, to refuse would be a grievous insult.”

  Kaster wondered what game was being pyed. A sve would divert his attention, but what he really worried about was her rep every detail back to Vydon. It would raise questions and firm ao others. He could feel the striangling him already. He sidered just leaving without pay, but that would have nullified several months of work capturing Indy-Ra.

  Reading the flig thoughts in Kaster’s mind the majordomo tinued, “You probably do not care that she also has skills beyond those you’ve presently tasted. A keen mind for one. What you do care about is her spying on you. She would have no access to unications on your ship. You could restrict that entirely. And while my lord would expect to see her again on your return… she is just a sve. Acts do happen.”

  Kaster reeled at the thought. She was just property, and owners could do with sves as they pleased, including torment and harm them. Exactly as he’d seen Vydon doing to Indy-Ra. The thought of killing others didn’t repulse him, but to do so to a being in his charge purposely, it seemed grotesque.

  “I’ll be w in Federated space. Svery is illegal there. She adds… plications.”

  “Of course, I uand the . She will however report that she is a travelling panion to Federated authorities. Even if questioned alone and under… duress.”

  “That’s an awfully big risk that I might have to take.” Kaster replied.

  “I assure you. She is very well traihe impnts guarahat.”

  Ohing was certain, he would be leaving with the sve if he wanted his pay.

  “And the credits?” Kaster asked.

  “Delivered to your ship already.”

  “I’d feel better seeing them now.”

  “A hundred and fifty thousand credits in takes up siderable space. Twe trunks have been delivered to the Outnder.” The majordomo said, then paused before adding, “Perhaps you think the Hol means to cheat you? Why would he offer a sve as a bonus if he wasn’t already pnning long term business with you?”

  Kaster sidered a very careful reply, “My apologies. In my line of work, a suspicious nature often aids in the apprehension of those with bounties. Please thank Hol Vydon for the pay and the bonus, I am most gracious.”

  “There is oher thing.” The majordomo said, “My lord insisted on installing an Overseer on your ship as well. It was installed when your pay was delivered.”

  F back his anger Kaster asked, “An Overseer?”

  “Of course. Sve impnts without an Overseer work very rudimentarily. You would o manually trol the pleasure or pain a sve receives through a trol wand. The Overseer is a trol unit that monitors the sve at all times, reward them with pleasure when they a accordah their owner’s wishes, without the owner having to do anything at all. It also monitors a number of bioactivities, releasing hormoo make them more pliant, reinforce training principles, and generally help aid in maintaining a proper subservient attitude. It’s already been wired into your power subsystems. The Overseer is itself quite valuable, worth more than the sve. Also, a gift from my lord.”

  A trickle of anger rippled through Kaster. Vydon had ordered people into his ship, tinkered with it, without his sent. He struggled to keep the anger from boiling up out of trol. He wanted nothing more than to ignite his WaveBde and run the man through.

  “Thank the Hol again for his fht.” Kaster said through grindih. While he was thinking of severing all ties with Vydon sidering everything that occurred since his nding a mistake. He knew if he did not ask it would raise suspis, “And what of the arget?”

  “Ah yes. The Fury Jae. A Federation peacekeeper. Young, she’s only passed her trials retly acc to Fed news sources.”

  “A new Fury? How has she crossed the Hol?”

  “Normally I would not ask the Hol for his motives, in this case however it was quite public. A few weeks ago, she robbed one of my lord’s os. She killed his employees, damaged his property, and stole a hefty sum of credits. The Federation has refused all extradition requests, prog her innoce. But such a grievous crime ot go unpunished. My lord wishes her brought to him to answer for her crimes. A datapad with all the details has bee in your ship.”

  Curious, thought Kaster. Why would a Fury rob a o? Fury’s foreswore material things, living spartan lives in service to their dead religion. Nor were they assassio kill uhe cover of dark. What motive could a Fury possibly have to it su act?

  “There are recs of this robbery?” Kaster asked.

  “Of course. Oapad in your ship.” The majordomo gnced up the stairs, “And here she is, your bonus pay.”

  Kaster turo watch K’rra desd the grand stairs. She wore see-through silks and high heels. She moved gracefully dowairs keeping her eyes averted to the ground as she approached the two men.

  “Master,” she said to Kaster with a small curtsey.

  Unsure what to say Kaster asked, “Do you have any bags? Personal effects?”

  “Master, I am just a sve, I own nothing but my serviy lord.”

  “Not even a ge of clothing?”

  “Master, I have no need of clothing. Do you not wish to see your property fully?”

  Flummoxed Kaster replied, “Umm, very well.”

  The majordomo spoke, “My lord would insist, that you keep us informed of your progress on a regur basis. A unications encryption key is included oapad.”

  More strings, thought Kaster. “I will. Thank Hol Vydon for his hospitality and many… gifts.”

  The majordomo bowed and ushered the two to the front door were armuards lounged looking very much like they’d rather be shooting things.

  An air car waited outside, the driver holding open a back door and frozen in a deep bow. Kaster gestured for K’raa to ehe vehicle.

  “Master, a sve follows her lord. It would be inappropriate of me to enter before you.”

  “I see…” Kaster felt silly, the gesture had been a remnant of his childhood, showing differend courtesy to women. A sve wasn’t really a woman, was she? More an object. He could see others as lesser beings, but he’d never been in a position where a se was sidered an object. He climbed into the car and held a hand out for her.

  She stared at his hand a moment and blushed a deep blue. She took it with a shy smile and climbed into the car with him. Immediately she went to her knees on the floorboard in front of the seat.

  “Oh, you sit o me.” He said, knowing in an instant it robably the wrong thing to say.

  “Master! I couldn’t. I am a sve. I belong at your feet.”

  “What if I insisted?”

  “You are my Master and I would obey any and you gave. But it is agaiiquette for a sve to sit as an equal with her lord. Other sves would think my behavior atrocious. Free people, might take offense and demand punishment.”

  He let the issue drop as the car lifted off. Watg the city drift by Kaster wondered how things had gotten so plicated in the space of a few hours. If nothing else, he tried to vince himself that if K’rra was with him she’d be spared the torments that Indy-Ra suffered. He knew he shouldn’t care, but he never imagined how bad svery could be for those in the Coalition.

  When the ded at the starport, K’rra waited for him to exit before she climbed out. She was a head shorter than Kaster, fit with an hss shape and long scarlet hair. She wore translut silks, that became see through when they brushed against her blue skin. This left the body parts that were in stant tact with the fabric always visible. Her shoulders, hips, and nipples were on stant dispy, with other curves hidden depending on how the silks fell. Walking was a stant peep show with things revealed and hidden with eaent.

  At the s desk ihe starport lobby a bored agent gnced up, “Papers for the sve and ship.”

  “I have the ship papers, but the sve is a gift… just acquired.”

  The agent cocked an eyebrow and took the ship registration, after a quice he immediately so attention standing and handing the papers back. “I’m sorry Captain Kaster, I didn’t realize I eaking with an employee of Hol Vydon. Please ght ahead to your ship.”

  Kaster nodded and walked past the agent into the empty starport. Private ports with dog facilities only catered to the private crew, and so there were no crowds.

  “Have you travelled off world?” Kaster asked K’rra.

  “Yes, Sir. I’ve travelled a great deal, mostly in Federated space.”

  “Oh? Are you from the Federation?” he asked, a nibble of gnawing at the thought of taking an ensved Federation citizen back to her home territory.

  “Yes, Sir. I am from Gyth. A Federation world.”

  Kaster stopped and turo look at the sve, “Are you fug with me?”

  She stopped and looked down at his feet. “I’m sorry, Sir, if I said anything that offends.”

  “I see that yythian, were you captured in the Federation? Or did you enter a sve tract willingly?”

  “I uand now, Sir. I was a Federation citizen when I was captured. I voluntarily entered formal svery, however. I also know that while in Federated space, if asked, I am a travelling panion. My status as a sve is no one else’s business.”

  “How were you captured?”

  “By pirates. Please, Sir, I’d prefer not to discuss the details. Its personally embarrassing.”

  Kaster sidered what she’d said. Taking her into the Federation would be a huge risk. She could simply tell any authority that she was ensved, and he would be arrested immediately. He wondered how she could be both willing and captured by pirates at the same time. Right now, he had other things to worry about.

  There were two points he had to follow up on iure. First, he wanted more information about her svery terms. Whether it was tractual, like debt svery, or full loss hts as spoils of war. , he o test her somewhere. He’d have to visit a small world where his escape would be easy and see if she did indeed report to the authorities that she was a panion.

  “How do you feel about being a sve?”

  She looked up at him suddenly, her face smiling and joyous. “Sir, it is so liberating. I have only one purpose, to care for my Master. Nothing else matters. My worries are focused pletely on the well being of ahis is the closest I ever e to motherhood. To goddesshood. I wouldn’t trade my service for anything else in the gaxy, including freedom. I am a sve wholeheartedly. Let me show you.”

  Even using his Focus, Kaster detected nothing but a sincere eagero please radiating from her. There was no hint of duplicity or deceit. He nodded, “Very well. Let’s go.”

  They entered his small ship, and he gave her a quick tour. “on room here, it also has a cooking station. Cockpit through that passageway. A fresher there, no water shower, I hope sonics work for you. And there are three rooms. You take the one on the left side.”

  K’rra looked wounded, “I won’t be staying with you, Master?”

  “I’m used to having my own space.”

  She stepped up to him, pressing her body to his. He felt her warmth and soft curves as she looked up into his eyes. “How will I attend to your needs?”

  He stammered trying to think of a reason to deny her. Deep down he knew, he’d be able to use his Focus to read her, to provide her with exactly what she needed when fug. She’d asm climatically and bee gy, a bore. He’d experienced just that multiple times.

  “I’d prefer separate sleeping arras for now.”

  “Please, Master. Allow me to sleep on the floor of your . Don’t send me away.” Her hands slipped up to grasp his shoulders and press her body harder against his.

  “Let me think on it.” He said irritated while gently pushing her away. “Right now, I only want to leave this voidforesaken world.”

  K’rra looked around the on room, “I’ll while you pilot, Master. Is there…”

  “. Perfect. Yes, do that.” Kaster interrupted her and fled to the cockpit.

  As he powered the Outnder up, he cursed under his breath. His ship now had a crew, of sorts. She was already making demands, a sve, he was supposed to be in charge. Grumbling, he powered up the engines ahrough his preflight checks. All the ship needed now et to make it perfectly unbearable.

  “Void!” he swore to himself. She’d been such a huge distra he hadn’t even thought to review the datapad. Or ihe Overseer unit that had been installed. Or look for trag devices.

  As he ran through the flight checklist, he used it as a kind of mantra to settle himself. She was a sve, not a person, he would have to get used to telling her exactly what he wanted and stop her from ging his mind. He resolved to do this as the Outnder lifted off the starport nding pad and rocketed skyward.

  Mier the ship lurched into hyperspace. He rose from his crash seat ao the door. Having had time to adjust himself to the new realities of the situation he was determio go back to the on room and inform the sve how things were to be. If she tried her maniputions, he pledged to beat her.