Silence had settled into the room for at least a minute as no one seemed to know what to do or say and my mind slipped into the turmoil it felt. I couldn't be bought by Icaan. Despite our best attempt at bringing in the credits, he didn't have enough.
I couldn't help but cry as my fate ran through my head. Despite Icaan wanting me and me wanting him I was stuck as a slave and I had been put there initially by the very Frentin I loved. It seemed so heartless and unfair but there was nothing I could do about it.
Although I considered trying to run again, I knew it was pointless. Every man in the room bar Icaan was now bound to keep me here and I didn't doubt Sadisk planned to punish me enough as it was. Shaking, I reached for Icaan, but he shook his head and pulled away.
The movement broke a dam as almost half the room started to talk a
It took a little while to get back to the shuttle platform, but immediately I noticed a similar large carriage to the one I'd used to get to this dome. It was sitting on a section of track out of the way, but as soon as we approached more guards in red hurried over to it and got it moving back onto the main line."Come on, I'll help you strap in," Icaan said, as he also helped me up and into the shuttle in the first place.There wasn't room for every single red guard and my own loyal team of six, but there was a second compartment on this shuttle and a selection of them made their way in there as Icaan got me safely in my seat and then sat down beside me and took my hand once more.The doors slid down again with a much gentler and less noisy motion and then, almost effortlessly and with almost no jerking the shuttle started moving. We
As I'd seen the job offer on the notice board my mouth had fallen open. Even now as I flew to the unknown and uncharted sector of space that was part of the job I needed to pinch myself.A thousand credits just to fly to uncharted space, spend a few hours there and then come back to the space station again. It was a dream come true.Already I was almost there, my little ship fast, if a little old.But I'd only been there a few minutes, the ship scanning and charting the stars around me when a warning sounded.The area of space was full of debris, and asteroids, as if several planets had collided here long ago. As the alarms blared I tried to find the source among the chaos.The asteroids blocked my view in several directions, but the radar on the ship clearly thou
As I moved towards his ship I knew this was likely to be the last chance I had to do anything to get away, but I also knew there was little I could do. If I so much as moved a muscle he would lock my limbs together, and he had to only so much as think it.Crossing the threshold of our ships and passing through the open airlock I left my hope behind me. It was bad enough that I'd been tricked, but the slaver market was notorious. I didn't want to be sold to anyone. A Frentin was a thousand times worse.The ship I moved into had a darker decor than my own rust bucket, something I found so fitting that it almost made me laugh out loud. Despite my fear and dread I looked around and studied the ship. It might help me one day.The airlock came out into a corridor, much the same as I'd just left on mine. We were on the side of his ship, and
I lost track of time, only aware of the bladder that felt like it would burst, the ache in my throat and the endless darkness.Now and then I heard a noise somewhere else in the ship and I grew hopeful that my captor would reappear but then I was left in the dark even longer.I'd given up trying to find a way out, kicking and flailing had been hard with my wrists and feet clamped together. Fear still engulfed me and threatened to send me into a screaming mess again.Suddenly light flooded the compartment making me blink and suddenly shy away. After being in the dark it only made things worse."Right, you've got one chance to head to the toilet and use it. Try and do anything stupid and I won't bother in future, got it?"I tried to nod, but I wasn't su
At some point I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to an alarming amount of banging reverberating through the hull of the ship. Now and then it was punctuated by a yell or the clatter of something. It was clear the room I was in wasn't particularly sound proof.I felt a little calmer than I had been inside the box before I'd gone to sleep, but I wouldn't say I felt at ease. It was still a dark box on a Frnetin's ship.Not long after I was awake enough getting back to sleep wouldn't be easy the noises stopped. A moment later the ship powered up again and I could only assume we were on our way somewhere.My stomach rumbled as I tried to work out how long it must have been since I'd eaten. I had the beginning of a headache as well and I suspected I was a little dehydrated. For a moment I sat in silence, trying to work out what my
As I sat there and finished my food I listened for sounds of whatever had triggered the alarm. There could have been a lot of reasons and I wasn't sure if this was an opportunity to escape or not. One thing was sure, I wasn't going to waste good food or an opportunity to drink while I had it.I ate faster, wolfing down what was left and then quickly got myself another drink and chugged that down too. It wasn't the most ladylike behavior but I had no audience so I wasn't going to worry.The moment I'd finished drinking I hurried out into the hallway and looked for the cockpit. Padding as quietly as I could I made my way closer. Alarms weren't blaring any more but I could hear him pushing buttons and swearing as he clearly tried to sort out some kind of problem.I couldn't see exactly what was wrong but it was clearly something importan
"Hand me that tool on the left," the Frentin said, reaching his hand out. "And don't even think about doing anything else with it."I frowned as I picked it up but placed it in his hand without complaint or hesitation. How had he known I'd been considering hitting him with it?Within a few more seconds he had the gralap matrix out and my ship was no longer functional. Before I could get up to head to his ship again, he started disconnecting another part."What are you doing?" I demanded."If I'm going to take one of the parts from your ship I may as well take a few more spare parts. They'll knock a good few k credits off the price I'll get for this with the matrix gone and these extra parts I'm now taking won't make any difference once I haggle.
As I heard footsteps coming back down the corridor toward me I knew I needed to think fast. Instead of moving to the side of the door where he'd be most likely not to see me, I found myself tucking the wrench into the toolbox and then putting the rest of the tools away as well.I sighed. It wasn't going to go well if I got it wrong, and I just couldn't bring myself to do it. He returned to find his tool kit mostly packed and me putting the panel back on the compartment."Running diagnostics but so far so good. It'll make a noise if things aren't okay. I reckon I owe you that promise now.""Food?" I asked, unable to hide my excitement. It was a strange thing to be excited about, but he seemed to understand and only nodded and smiled in response.I let him lead me back to the kitchen, all the while th
It took a little while to get back to the shuttle platform, but immediately I noticed a similar large carriage to the one I'd used to get to this dome. It was sitting on a section of track out of the way, but as soon as we approached more guards in red hurried over to it and got it moving back onto the main line."Come on, I'll help you strap in," Icaan said, as he also helped me up and into the shuttle in the first place.There wasn't room for every single red guard and my own loyal team of six, but there was a second compartment on this shuttle and a selection of them made their way in there as Icaan got me safely in my seat and then sat down beside me and took my hand once more.The doors slid down again with a much gentler and less noisy motion and then, almost effortlessly and with almost no jerking the shuttle started moving. We
Silence had settled into the room for at least a minute as no one seemed to know what to do or say and my mind slipped into the turmoil it felt. I couldn't be bought by Icaan. Despite our best attempt at bringing in the credits, he didn't have enough.I couldn't help but cry as my fate ran through my head. Despite Icaan wanting me and me wanting him I was stuck as a slave and I had been put there initially by the very Frentin I loved. It seemed so heartless and unfair but there was nothing I could do about it.Although I considered trying to run again, I knew it was pointless. Every man in the room bar Icaan was now bound to keep me here and I didn't doubt Sadisk planned to punish me enough as it was. Shaking, I reached for Icaan, but he shook his head and pulled away.The movement broke a dam as almost half the room started to talk a
"Stop this madness and let my slave go!" Icaan's voice commanded from somewhere nearby. Immediately I opened my eyes, but the baton struck me anyway, catching me in the side. Despite my resolve to handle this with dignity I screamed, the pain as it shot through my torso so intense I couldn't do anything but."I gave a command. Let that slave go!" Icaan yelled and immediately the pain receded and I crumpled to the floor.Tears streamed down my face, the pain still so intense I could barely move. Frith appeared at my side and gently tried to lift me as Brinto and several of the other guards hurried to my side and surrounded me, physically pushing Sadisk and the other men back, but the slave trader didn't appear to want to give up."She's not your slave yet, and she needs to be punished. Twice now she has tried to escape."
Despite Sadisk's declaration that Icaan had abandoned me, I still didn't want to believe it. And it seemed neither did anyone else. No one moved."Come here, slave. I will begin by dealing out your punishment for escaping your masters and costing them a significant sum of money to have you returned.""No," I said, "Not yet. I said I would wait three hours to allow for issues with your transport shuttles. My heart doesn't believe me abandoned yet."Then I shall break your heart as well if need be, but you will learn to obey." Sadisk seemed to produce some kind of baton from somewhere inside his clothes and strode toward me.I moved to one side and attempted to put the sofa between us as Brinto also stepped into the way."You cannot be serious, Sadisk. Those things
The dawn light shone through the window and woke me from an uneasy sleep. Frith immediately looked my way and gave me a nod.I sat up once more but didn't get out of the bed."Do you know how long I've got until the council will have met and decided Icaan's fate?" I asked.Frith pulled out a small device and tapped at it."They're in session now. He'll know within the next twenty minutes," Frith replied a moment later. I sighed. This was the crunch moment. This was the next trial for me to endure.I got out of bed and neatened my clothes and brushed my hair as quickly as I could. I then made sure my pack contained everything that mattered to me and I carried it over to Frith."I know you have no reason to do anything for me, but
As the night went on I still found sleep didn't want to come and I considered giving up. With his shift up, Brinto was relieved by Frith and another of the guards and I listened as they talked quietly before Brinto and his companion left.Frith then ordered the guard with him to wait outside. Although I thought this was a little odd, the guard seemed to think nothing of it and moved into the corridor outside, shutting the door behind himself.It was still dark outside, but the room was lit by enough starlight and lamp light from somewhere that I could see Frith move. He came over to the bed, stopping at the foot of it when I moved."You're awake?" he whispered."Yes. It's hard to sleep when you don't know what your fate will be," I replied, keeping my voice quiet but not bothering to whisper.
Although sleep would have done me some good, I drifted in and out of consciousness, barely able to get more than a snatch of sleep here and there. I was too wired and ready to be back with Icaan.The sun had taken a long time to set on the planet and it appeared to operate on its own time zone, not helping me sleep when for everyone here it was still afternoon.I'd also been left with two of the more basic guards during the day, with Brinto returning six hours later to watch me through the late evening and first section of night. He gave me a nod when he noticed me checking out the handover between the two sets of guards but no one spoke to me and I soon lay myself down again.I drifted off again, but I came awake more when someone knocked on the door and the young slave with Sadisk came in carrying more food and drink for me and the
The nicest rooms in the compound turned out to be little better than a basic hotel room all to myself, with the slight advantage that it was at least large enough I could sit at a small table or sofa while the guards gave me enough space. It was also several floors up and I had a reasonable view from the two barred windows.It was clear, however, that it was still a gilded cage. I wasn't free and I was being kept here until Icaan laid claim to me.Brinto didn't leave me, and unlike before he seemed less talkative, even pacing back and forth while I sat myself down on the sofa.We'd only been there a few minutes when the Frentin in charge came in as well, a girl who couldn't be more than about fourteen following him, a collar around her neck and her eyes down turned.The Frentin carried a handheld co
As a much larger and more robust looking carriage came rattling down the tracks, my guards all got to their feet and I took it as an indication I should do so as well.The side panel opened up to reveal an interior with far less seats. The seats it did have were arranged in a circle, and they looked as if they were not only padded, but the straps holding the occupant in place appeared to be far less worn and much more sturdy.I allowed myself to be led inside and immediately aimed for the seat in the middle of the circle. I soon got myself seated and tried to work out how to do the straps. A few minutes later I was still fumbling with them, until Brinto came closer."Permission to aid you, ma'am. We don't really want to still be here when the next shuttle comes through.""Oh, yes. I have no idea wha