Page 27 of Indentured Companion
“Me?” I cant my head to one side at how bizarre that sounded. “I’m the big sister here? That’smyline?” She rolls her eyes at me and folds her arms. Unlike me, she’s not draped comfortably on a luxury bed. I take in whatever I can see around Cassie, and see she’s sitting in a metallic looking room and at a dull steel desk. She’s sat in a chair, and she’s wrapped in a thick blanket that looks knitted from a rainbow of coloured threads. “How are you Cas?”
“Great.” She smiles at me and I don’t see anythingoffin her eyes. She’s never been a very good liar, so I watch her carefully for her tells. “I’m an accountant, and you know I’m at home when it comes to doing math.” I nod, and my smile turns sad. She wassupposedto be in charge of the family business’s finances. Not an accountant for some space captain’s little operation. “Life is pretty straight forward. My master is…” Ah, there is a tell. She looks off to one side when she’s trying to think of something quick. “…in the transport business. The only thingIhave to do, is ensure everything is valued, stored, sold at a profit whenever possible, balance the expenses, and ensure the salaries are paid out correctly. Not to mention the profits recorded accurately. So really, the same stuff I was doing for Dad.”
“You mean before he pissed our future up a wall so we had to become indentured servants, and before we had our castes taken from us?” Imaystill be a little bitter about that one. “Sure. Tell me more about this transport business?” She tenses nervously, and I’m sure there is something there she is nervous about, but she shrugs it off and tries to put the spotlight on me instead.
“Nothing much to tell, unlikeyouVal. I saw the interview you and your master did.” She chewed her bottom lip anxiously and leans closer to the desk, and therefore the laptop on her end. “Your master isaKorvis?”
“Yes he is.” I smile at first, the memory of the last feed fresh in my memory, but then I see how worried Cassie looks. “The Dynast is everything I said on the interview and more. He’s a gentleman. He’s kind. He’s caring. He dotes on me. Spoils me. And he’s kinda…cute.” I realise what I’ve just admitted to, with the surprised look on my sister’s face. “He’s basically the opposite of every man I’ve ever met, and we’re very good friends.”
“But he bites you?” She doesn’t look convinced.
“Yes, Cassie.” I shrug at her. “I’m his feeding companion. That is the premise of my indentured servitude to the Dynast. To let him feed off me. It’s totally safe though, don’t worry.”
“Doesn’t that hurt?” She winced and sank into her shoulders.
“It did.” I blush, thinking about the ecstasy I found with him during his last feed. That Bonding Succour issomething else.Even now, I am pain free and my neck is barely swollen to the touch either. “But, erm, it doesn’t anymore.”
“Oh?” She cocked her head to one side curiously. “So, you just got used to it?”
“Something like that.”
“How did-”
“Enough about me.” I chuckle and cut her off with a cheeky grin. “I know what you’re doing Cas. Stop with the 20 questions as a deflector shield. Tell me about your master. What was his name…” I chew the side of my cheek in thought as I try to think back to the Indentured Servitude Centre. “Captain Unthulo? Sacron, right?”
“Right.” Cassie blushed, the little minx, and cuddled up more under her knitted blanket. “The Captain owns this ship, the operation, and nowme.” She snorts. “He treats me really well. Like, I’m his prized pet. I have my own quarters, whereas the rest of the crew have to share bunks, and my room is next to his on the upper deck. I think it might be part of the Indentured Servitude terms and conditions or something.”
“And are you okay?” I worry, hearing she’s on a ship with a load of men, and her room is right next to the Captain’s room. “No one is…pushing their luck with you, are they?”
“No!” She flusters and I have to admit, it’s rather funny how easy she is to tease. She is the daughter of a merchant, but she has mother’s constitution. Not when it comes to hard work, oh no. She’ll put sweat, blood and tears into a hard day’s work. When it comes to personal topics like this one though, she becomes a shy mess. “I-no of course not! The Captain doesn’t even think of me like that. I mean, I-” I smirk, about to ask her why she thought I was talking about theCaptain,when Cassie looks up from the screen. She must be looking at someone at the opposite side of the room. “…Boss?”
“…I need to speak to you in my office.” I raise a brow. The owner of that voice sounded curt and tightly wound. Like every word was being restrained with his iron will. I watch my sister’s face and don’t see any fear there. She’s blushing and seems surprised to see her master, but she doesn’t seem disturbed in any way. “Now.”
“Yes Boss.” She nods, and then looks back at the screen. “I’ll call you again in a few days? Love you Val.”
“Love you too Cas.” I barely got out before the call went dead, and the screen went black. “Well, that guy is an asshole. I’m glad Vrajan is nothing likehim.”I turn off the laptop and the holo-screen vanishes. “At least Cassie seemed fine.” In my mind I imagine her standing timidly to attention before a big burly Sacron Captain. Barking orders at her about the company books and profits. All I know is, he better keep all four of his hands off my sister, or I’ll find him and break them all one knuckle at a time.
Chapter 22
The Theskian Council
Vrajan.
3 weeks later.
“-lack of support on this bill in congress, simply proves that the empire is not ready for the admission of the Korvis into the Theskian council.” The Prelka’s heads were both in agreement and nodded together. Why such a giant green oaf with two brains who has less intelligence than a regular person, was able to haveanysay in the future of my people, was downright insulting. Especially when you consider that the first interaction that the Theskian Empire had with the Prelka, was going to war in their quadrant. In fact, most races with membership to the empire have dark pasts, yet they are quick to pass judgement over all Korvis. I am sat at my desk and looking at a large holo-screen filled with the council members. The Prelka Councillor, Getrata, has run at both mouths openly about denying my admission to the council on behalf of the Hive collective. He is a hopeless cause and I waste no energy trying to get his support.
The Sacron Councillor, Olphan, is the eldest member of the council. His skin is dark blue, his eyes are darker brown, and he holds many scars from his military service as a general, before stepping up as a councillor for his race. All four of his arms are folded over his chest and he is stoic as ever. He very rarely gives his opinion until he has fully formed it. Thus far, he has not yet expressed a positive or negative view towards the Korvis. He has suggested they exercise caution, but always allows me to speak.
The human Councillor, Justina Andrews, seems to be the one who is most likely to approve my membership. She is openly curious and asks many questions. At first I found this invasive, but ever since my interview with Valerie went viral, she has askedmorequestions. I now see her inquisitiveness for what it truly is. Genuine curiosity. She is also the youngest of the Councillors, in her mid 30s, and her long blonde hair is always twisted in a hair grip that reminds me of crab legs.
Speaking of sea creatures, beside her screen is the one showing the Tallahestra Councillor. They are referred to ‘affectionately’ as Kraken by the humans, since they resemble that mythical creature for them. Pharom has his lower body of powerful tentacles swaying in a tank of water. His upper body is ‘humanoid’, with his arms crossed over the edge of his tank as he looks at the screen. He is cerulean from head to tentacle tips, with pink suckers, and his eyes are bright blue. He has darker blue markings as natural camouflage when hiding in seaweed, and he wears a crown to signify his rank. As do I. His crown appears to be made not of metal like mine, but coral spikes and pearly shells. Pharom is not quite as curious as his human counterpart, but is far more so than the others.
The final Councillor was Ninthor. He wore large black sunglasses to hide his insectoid eyes. His skin was pale white, his thick mane of hair black and spiky, with two long feather like antennae, white, which swept back over his head like horns. He wore a tailored black suit, waistcoat included with pin stripes, a pocket watch, and a polished black cane. His cravat was frilly, and his black tarsus feet would have been visible after the hem of his trousers, if he wasn’t sat at a desk. Whatwasvividly apparent, and marked Ninthor as a Qeknian, were his four insectoid wings. They shimmered with blue, black, yellow and green swirls to draw the eye. Ninthor is typically timid, and it was his people that bore the brunt of the rogue Korvis tribe’s abuse, so he is the least likely to approve my admission to the council.
These five people were my main obstacles to achieve my goal; to one day have every member of my race experience what I currently have with Valerie. To have the freedom of movement, trade, equality in the Theskian empire,andto achieve full symbiosis with a feeding companion they truly connect with. Not only are the Korvis struggling to survive on Synth-Red and Regen pills, but our population is in decline since we have far too few females and no hosts for our eggs. This was not an issue when the implantation of our eggs was carried out within our feeding companions. Since our exile, only the Queens have been able to carry them, and she can only bear one at a time. The Korvis are desperate, and my mission must be a success to secure our future.
“Do you not think the reason that the bill to allow Korvis admission would be carried out in a fairer forum, ifIwere permitted to speak on behalf of the Korvis? As per my appointed role?” I smile beneath my green veil, and my M shaped crown catches the light as I tip my head to one side. “Thus far, the bill has only been spoken about withoutanyinput from those whom it concerns directly. As the Dynast, I speak for my people, and have yet to be permitted todo soin Congress.” I offer my gloved palms to the screen, and Justina nods, agreeing with me. “If the future of yourentirespecies was being discussed, wouldn’tyouexpect to be present as the representative of your species?”
