Page 44 of Indentured Companion
“Will Miss Stone wait just outside?” I direct to Justina, as Valerie is one of her people. “With the security guards and CCTV?”
“Of course.” Justina nods, and Olphan rubs his chin with his upper right hand.
“Youcanbe a room apart, surely?” He asks me, and I must assure him I can be trusted without my feeding partner attached to me. The last thing I want is for them to think I’ll lose control and try and feed on them. It’s an irrational fear many Theskians have. Not helped by their horror films and how my kind are represented. “She will be perfectly safe with the guards and security doors just outside.”
“Of course.” I bow my head to the Sacron councillor, and hold both Valerie’s eyes. “You’ll be just outside. I saw a vid screen on the wall. This may take a while, but please be patient.”
“Sure. If you’re fine then I am.” She smiles and I kiss her knuckles through my veil. She leans forward to kiss between my eyes, one of the few places exposed through my headdress and veil. “Kick their asses. You’ve got this.” I adore her.
“Your confidence gives me strength. Wait outside, and donotmove.” She gives me a playful salute with two fingers, and the security guards walk her out of the central chamber. I turn to face the councillors and place my gloved hands onto my plain podium. “Councillors of the Theskian races. I, the Dynast to the Hive Council, will outline today the vast benefits for my admission to the Theskian council. Please allow me to share with you my vision for Korvian kind as part of this great Empire. I will then, of course, take all of your questions and assure you why this is the right move forward.” Right away I notice that Justina, Olphan and Phoram seem receptive, curious, and encouraging. Ninthor is, as he always is, hard to read. Getrata’s faces are both set to a disgusted scowl, but I ignore him. I don’t need him, nor do I care about his opinion. “To start, I should like to set the record straight on the reason for our exile, and present evidence to solidify assurances. Then, I will discuss the bounds my people have achieved in medical technology we would like to share with you, as well as other forms of industry. Not to mention, the financial boom you will undergo from all of the above, and our contributions towards the Indentured Servitude Services that are the bedrock of this grand and multicultural society.”
Chapter 32
Chaos
Valerie.
Well, this is boring. I’m sitting on a stiff black leather couch with nothing but the news to watch, and that’s not a good thing. I sit forward in my fancy yellow dress, staring at the horrifying sight of people protesting across the empire. Peacekeepers and security firms, and in some places the military, are all keeping them at bay.
“This is Fin Derone here for Empire Informed, and I’m right outside the first security gate for the Theskian embassies.” I have watched four different reporters for different news channels already, so I know that the large building made of multiple tall domes is the building I’m sitting in. Fin Derone is in his late 30s, has a neat buzz cut at the sides and quiff on top. His glasses are black rimmed, and his grey suit is smart, even if he’s removed his jacket and tie. “People of every race have turned out to protest what is apparently happening behind me right now.” He points to the building over his shoulder, and whoever is controlling the camera drone moves it to get a better view. “Security seems a little over the top, if you ask me, with so many armed guards walking the perimeter. Unless, of course, they are anticipating trouble? Most of the people I have spoken to this morning are genuinely concerned about allowing a predatory race like the Korvis to have free reign in Theskian space.” I grip my fists and scowl at the screen. Predatory race? Fuck off. Vrajan says the vast majority of Korvis are like him. They want a singular feeding companion. They don’t want free reign for some sort of feeding frenzy like in films. Freedom of movement, trade, and equality is not something that people should be so pissed off about, damn it. What’s unfair about that? Every Korvis that is allowed into Theskian space to acquire a feeding companion will be thoroughly vetted. Only volunteers or willing indentured servants like me, will become feeding companions. “However, there are those who are willing to do a lot more than hold up their signs and demand to be heard.”
The screen changes and I cup my hand over my mouth. My stomach turns and I feel sick. The feed changes to another location, which can’t be too far away, since the Council building is visible in the background. Hundreds of angry people, humans, Sacron and Prelka, are rioting against the clear shields of the peacekeepers. Knock out grenades are being hurled in both directions. I can see signs with the Anti-K movement symbol sprayed on it in blood. Or what’s meant to look like blood. As well as some rather crudely drawn stick figures of a Korvis chewing on the middle of a human or Sacron. I can’t tell. It’sreallybadly drawn. “Some are mobilising in readiness for what they are calling an invasion disguised as an olive branch by their emissary, Mr. Dynast.”
“Fucking assholes.” I glare with heat on my cheeks. Part of me wants to march out there and shout some sense into those idiots. They have an opinion on something, and someone, whom they know nothing about! None of them have evermeta Korvis. They certainly haven’t met Vrajan. Calling him Mr. Dynast is wrong, for a start. He istheDynast. That’s his title and rank, not his name. Idiots. Do your damn research Fin. We’ve done enough interviews for you to get that right you dweeb. Yeah, I could go and find this dude and tell him why he, and all these other idiots are missing a few dozen screws, but I’m not that stupid. I am not putting my ass at risk with adrenaline high protestors. They wouldn’t listen to me anyway. Right now, what Vrajan is doing is the best way to be heard and make changes. One step at a time, and through the proper channels. As much as it’s pissing me off watching all this crap on the news, it brings home just how important this meeting is. I’m not going to risk 5 months of pain staking ass kissing and political tango Vrajan has gone through, just so I can go out there and flip off the idiotic and bigoted masses. They will learn. One day, they’ll realise how fucked up it is that they have such a strong opinion about a race of people they don’t know a damn thing about, outside of a century old bias report, and horror films. Stupid.
I smile, thinking of Vrajan, and glancing over my shoulder to the doors to the central chamber.MyKorvis is sweet and tender. He’s nothing like the horror films show Korvis to be. Do I think he’s physically capable of ripping someone open and chewing on their heart? Probably. Vrajan is big, strong, and the memory of him growling and scaring the shit out of everyone at the Gala in the VIP room makes me wonder. He can manhandle me without breaking a sweat. Do I think he is emotionally capable? No way. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone. He isn’t interested in anyone else but me. I place a hand over my chest and tell my heart to calm the hell down. Vrajan will be out of the chamber soon enough, either with good news, or not good newsyet. Either way, we’ll be together again soon.
I nod towards the door, and turn back towards the vid screen, when I see the peacekeepers by the exit talking to another unit. I feel a wobble of worry in my stomach. There were only 6 guards before. Now there are 12? Are things so bad that they need 12 guards on the council chambers? I realise I worried too soon, as the first 6 peacekeepers leave. It’s a shift change, that’s all. They leave, and six new officers march into the waiting room with me. All of them are fully armoured in white riot gear, like the first unit was, and they hold their weapons ready.
“Is it bad out there?” I ask the nearest one, who looks at me like he was surprised I addressed him. I can’t make out the colour of his skin, but with his height, four arms and the flexible neck guard over where his neck frills would be, I can tell he’s a Sacron. In fact, they all are.
“Yeah. Pretty bad.” He shrugs and comes to stand in front of the central chamber door behind me. An assault rifle in each pair of hands. “Don’t worry Ma’am. We’ll keep you safe.”
“Thank you.” I smile and nod with respect. I feel safer already. They are spread out in the room covering all the exits, and are armed to the teeth. No one is getting in here now. I watch the screen, chewing my bottom lip as Fin Derone continues his chilling report.
“The brutality being shown to the protesters is simply fanning the flames of their anger. What we need is a peaceful and open forum for them to express their concerns. Why are our councillors not addressing the worries of their people? Don’t we have a right to feel safe? Right now Mr. Dynast will be painting a shiny picture about the Korvisnotbeing blood sucking monsters, and if they buy that, then we’reallin trouble.”
“Oh I can’t listen to this shit.” I push up from the sofa and glance around for a remote. There is no coffee table and I can’t see one. “Anyone see an off switch anywhere?”
“Yeah, right here.”
Wham.
Something thick is cupped across my nose and mouth, and three muscular arms wrap around me. I scream into the fabric as fumes assault my nose and lungs. One of the guards comes towards me and I try and kick him, but my world is fading in and out of focus. I thrash and try to twist my head away from whatever chemical they’re trying to knock me out with, but I’m just not strong enough. “Is she out yet?”
“Nearly, Boss.” The one in front of me leans forward to stare through the black lense of his helmet at me. I try my best to kill him with my groggy stare, but soon it’s a fight just to keep my eyelids open. “Won’t be long now.”
“She’s a fighter.” The guy holding me chuckles and I feel his lower arms start to turn me to lay in his arms. His upper left arm props up my upper back, and his lower arms hold my lower back and thighs. His upper right hand keeps the fabric pressed to my face. I can’t feel my limbs anymore and my vision is blurry as hell. “Sleep now Ma’am. I meant what I said. We’ll keep you safe. You just need to have a little nap.” Bite me, mother fucker. I try to fling my hand up to slap him, or claw his eyes out, but it barely twitches an inch. I can see my blurred reflection in his mask, and my crown and veil has come off in the scuffle. “Come on now.”
“Boss, we have 4 minutes before they realise we’ve knocked out the cameras and we’re not the unit assigned to replace the previous unit. We need to leave.”
“She has to be out cold first, otherwise the guise of a medical emergency doesn’t work.” ‘Boss’ grumbles through his teeth at one of his guys and…and I…what am I…shit I can’t…I can’t… “Ah, here we go. Call the evac shuttle. We’re leaving with the package.”
My eyes roll back and everything fades to black.
Chapter 33
Gone.
