Here is a short story following Lagertha from my previous story, Wind and Fire. This is merely a short story, so I intend it to be a bit more fast-paced and not packed with too many details. Probably three or four chapters. Taking place about two years after the events of Wind and Fire. Constructive criticism is welcome. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Outsider and any and all related content is the intellectual property of Jim Francis a.k.a. Arioch. Please support Arioch on Patreon.com
Second Disclaimer: the contents of this story feature child abduction, brief scenes hinting at sex as well as non-consensual intercourse and rape, but are not meant to be pornagraphic. This is not erotic fiction. Real life abduction, rape and non-consensual intercourse is criminal and immoral. This story was written with the rules of the forum in mind. If the managers or moderators of the forum consider the material of this fanfiction to violate those rules, the writer shall be sure to correct the story to the managers’/moderators' approval. But so far no such order has been given.
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Endurance series timeline:
(+) Wind and Fire
(+) Deliverance
(+) Dawn
(+) A Chorus of Stars
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Deliverance
✴
Bohdana trodded through the wet streets of Kuanz Sector. Aldea’s climate was one of near-constant rain and stormy winds. Bohdana hated it. She was born from the fourth generation of colonists that came to Aldea decades before, yet hated the rain. Aldean rain was all she ever knew. All around her rain-jacket clad people were walking to and fro, some on their way to work. Some heading home from work. Some going out to party or drink alone. Or meet up for a club meeting or a show.
What she would give for that kind of freedom again.
She came to the Blue Dragon Pub. Inside she saw a few men and women playing on billiard tables. A gang of Yinghuo sports fans were cheering as they watched a Beamer match pitting the Fireflies of Kuanz against the Sunnies from Voda Sector.
Bohdana pushed her way through the mob of guests. One of the Yinghuo spectators stopped her in her tracks, his hands gliding down her waist.
“Maili de nuhai,” he commented with a suggestive grin. His Yinghuo accent thick. His buzzcut hairstyle suggested that he was probably with military. Or maybe just a security guard. “Hello, Miss Beautiful. How about joining us for a drink?”
Bohdana froze under his touch, but politely declined.
“Deng dai!” the man pressured, making his grip more firm as Bohdana tried to pull away. “There’s a good game tonight. Don’t you want to watch?”
“I’m not in good company tonight.” Bohdana’s heart started throbbing. She did not like this guy feeling her up.
“Hao!” Another Yinghuo called out. He gave his friend a serious look. “That’s not what a gentlemen does.”
The Yinghuo man, Hao apparently, released Bohdana with a shrug. “Just offering a friendly invitation.”
Bohdana brushed past the Yinghuo gang. She walked up to a bartender working at the far end of the bar.
“Hey, Ig,” Bohdana greeted.
Ig just glanced up, drying a glass with a towel. “Can I help you, miss?”
“Ig, come on. You know who I am.”
Ig placed the dry glass down behind the bar. “What do you want?”
“I need some Plasmid.”
“Issh!” he hissed. “Not so loud. I don’t have it with me.”
“Look, Ig, I’ve had a rough week at the refinery. I just need one vial.”
“Told you I don’t have it,” Ig said. “Not here! You still owe me five hundred debits for the last batch. Go home!”
“Ig, come on!”
“Otvali!” Ig cursed. “Out before my boss sees me! Or I cut you off!”
Afraid of losing her line of Plasmid from a safe source, Bohdana groaned in defeat and left the pub. She hopped onto a tram to take her back to Voda Sector. Bohdana plopped her head against a window pane, watching the throngs of trams and people pass by outside through the micro rivers pouring down the glass. How was she supposed to get her Plasmid? The gangsters of the Red Zones were an option, but Bohdana had heard one too many horrible stories of what they did to unsuspecting victims to even consider it.
Arriving at her residential street in Voda Sector, Bohdana jumped off the tram. An affectionate couple walked passed her as she entered her apartment complex. She couldn’t help but stare at them admiringly as they left the complex. No doubt for a romantic evening of their own. Her admiration turned to bitter envy as she punched the button to take her to the seventh floor.
Passing through the corridors, she came to room 776 and tapped the door bell. Within half a minute, the door slid open, revealing a little old woman with graying hair.
“Oh, pryvit, Bohdana,” said Yeva. She waddled back into her apartment and returned with a toddler no more than sixteen months old.
“Dyakuyu, Yeva,” Bohdana thanked her, taking her tiny daughter into her arms. “I’m a little short of cash this month. But I promise I will pay you when I get paid.”
“No problem, Bohdana,” Yeva offered a gentle smile. “Little Vira has been a good little girl. Not cried a single moment today. You pay me when you get the chance, alright?”
“I owe you big time, Yeva.”
“Nadobranich, Bohdana. And look out for the rain, yes?”
Bohdana laughed. “It always rains.”
Bohdana walked down the mazing hall until she came to 703. Entering and locking the door behind her, she sat her little Vira down. Not feeling like cooking, Bohdana pulled out a box of instant holubstis from the freezer. Pouring them onto a plate and popping them into the microwave oven, she fetched Vira’s bottle. She prepared a mix of baby formula with some boiled water.
Vira began to cry.
“Almost ready,” Bohdana assured her child, shaking the formula and hot water around. She took a taste, spitting out the hot fluid as it burnt her tongue. She set it down to cool off.
The microwave pinged. Bohdana took out her dinner. The holubstis were warm, but still a little cool in their centers. Bohdana didn’t mind. Too hungry and too stressed to care. She didn’t even bother to sit as she watched her baby crawl on the floor. Vira kept crying as she stretched out a hand to her mother.
“I can’t feed you when it’s too hot,” Bohdana said. Vira kept crying. Bohdana dropped her dirty plate into the kitchen sink among a pile of more dirty plates. They could be washed later. Testing the baby formula again, she found it was at a safe temperature. Picking up little Vira, Bohdana held the nibble of the bottle to her child’s mouth. Vira sucked away greedily at the fluid, finally silent. Bohdana sat on her bed, sighing with relief. Her apartment was a single room save for the toiletry. The only one she could afford on Aldea. Working for two thousand debits a month at a Helium-3 refinery could only get you so far.
After finishing her formula, Vira started crying again. Bohdana groaned. Was she ever going to get a moment of peace? She fixed another bottle of formula and tried feeding Vira. But the little girl refused to suckle.
“Damn it! I made you more!” Bohdana cursed. “What do you want you bloody baby?!”
Vira cried louder. Dropping the bottle back on the kitchen counter, Bohdana rocked her child, trying to calm her. But Vira’s cries didn’t cease.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Bohdana set Vira into her crib and opened the door to see Ig.
“Hey,” he said. “I got Plasmid.”
Bohdana sighed with relief. “Ig, you’re a lifesaver.”
“That’ll be six hundred debits.”
“Six hundred?! But you said I owe only five hundred!”
“Five hundred for debt,” Ig corrected. “And one hundred for four new vials.”
“Ig, I’m short of cash. Just add it to my debt and I promise I’ll pay on payday.”
“I came here as a favor!” Ig warned. “Either pay now or no deal.”
Feeling that she had no bargaining power, Bohdana fished out her wallet. “Look, I only have five-hundred thirty. I’m on my last debit.”
Ig considered the cash in Bohdana’s hand. “You give me all that cash. And I clear your debt and give one vial Plasmid.”
“One?! But each vial only costs twenty-five a piece!”
“The last five debits is extra charge. For coming here.”
“Please, Ig,” Bohdana pleaded. “I won’t have any money until three weeks.”
“Not my problem. Either pay now or no deal. And I add interest to your debt.”
Bohdana knew this was not smart, but she wanted that Plasmid. She needed it. Handing the cash over, Ig fished out on vial of blue fluid. Bohdana took it.
“We are clear then,” Ig said, stuffing the cash into his pocket, marching down the hall.
Bohdana tapped the wall button. The door slid shut and locked. Resting her back against the door, Bohdana sighed, both from relief and frustration. Relieved that she had her Plasmid. But frustrated that she was now without cash for three weeks. How was she going to explain this to CPS if they found out?
Vira continued to cry.
Bohdana’s frustration boiled over and shouted, “BLIN! Can you shut up, bloody child?!”
Vira cried louder.
Bohdana collapsed onto her bed, leaving Vira in her crib. She cried with her. From all the frustration, all the stress and all the hardship of raising a child on her own. Bohdana had wanted a baby for a long time. But the man who was supposed to help them had walked out on them after being transferred to another Terran colony. Now Bohdana was all alone in this effort. She felt stuck. Trapped. She just wanted the baby gone. And it made her feel guilty to feel that way. A true mother did not wish her baby gone, and yet Bohdana could not help but feel so.
She should pick up her baby to comfort her, but instead held up the Plasmid in her hand. She needed some release. Just for a moment to let go of the pain. Fetching a syringe from the kitchen drawer, Bohdana pressed the needle into the vial, extracting the blue fluid. Before being colonized, Aldea was home to primitive, alien lifeforms older than Earth’s biosphere. Plasmid, as it was dubbed, was a processed drug made from the native mollusks of Aldea. Its effects were soothing, sending its consumer into a rollercoaster ride of peace, joy and illusions. Better than any other drug ever made. The only problem was that it was expensive. And illegal.
With syringe in hand, Bohdana sat back down on the bed, rolling up her sleeve. Vira continued to wail, yearning for her mother’s attention. Taking a deep breath, Bohdana plunged the syringe into her arm’s vein. She’d practiced enough times to know how to administer the drug appropriately. With the last of the fluid in, Bohdana withdrew the syringe, letting it drop to the floor. She fell back onto her mattress, letting the effects of Plasmid overtake her senses.
The cries of Vira seemed to grow distant as a field of stars overwhelmed Bohdana's vision.
“Just a moment, Vira,” Bohdana whispered soothingly. “Mama just needs a break. Then I’ll be back and everything will be okay again.”
- I -
Bohdana’s room came back into focus. She was wide awake. Her mouth tasted something vile. Was it a side effect of the drug or because she didn’t brush her teeth? The room was glaringly bright from Tau Ceti’s bright rays piercing the window. It was sunny today. Amazing. Sunny days were not frequent on Aldea, which made them all the more special. Bohdana ought to go outside to bask in the warm rays before the next rain storm hit. But first she would have to fix Vira’s carriage.
Speaking of which, Vira was very silent this morning. Perhaps Bohdana could let her sleep just for the chance to rest a bit more herself. But she had taken a trip without properly putting her child to sleep. Groaning, Bohdana pushed herself off the bed and walked over to check that Vira was alright.
Bohdana froze as she looked down into the crib. It was empty.
She scanned around the apartment frantically for her baby. Did she forget to put her baby into the crib last night? No. Even before she took a dose of Plasmid, Bohdana knew that she put little Vira into her crib.
“Vira?” Bohdana called. Her frantic search slowly escalating into panic. Where was her baby? “Vira?!”
Seeing no trace of Vira in her apartment, Bohdana ran out into the hall back to 776, beating the door with her fist.
The door slid open to show Yeva. “Bohdana? What is wrong?”
“She’s gone!” Bohdana cried desperately.
“Who is gone?”
“Vira!” Bohdana cried. “I- I put her to sleep last night. I…” She couldn’t reveal that she was tripping on Plasmid. “… I fell asleep too. Then I woke up and she wasn’t there. She’s gone! GONE!”
“Calm down!” Yeva gently patted Bohdana’s shoulders. “I’ll call the police.”
“She’s gone!” Bohdana slurred out through tears. “Vira is gone!”
The police as well as two agents from CPS arrived later that morning. They probed Bohdana with questions:
“When do you think your child disappeared?”
“What is the last thing you remember from last night?”
“What were you doing before you were unconscious?”
“Do you have any idea who might have taken your child?”
“Have you been making your obligatory visits to Child Registry Control?”
“Did you take any drugs or narcotic substances?”
Bohdana was as honest as she possibly could be with the police. Even to her embarrassment and shame, she admitted to taking Plasmids. She would tell the police and CPS agents anything. So long as it brought her child back. All the while, Bohdana wept. Wept for having been such a selfish idiot. If she hadn’t taken that last dose of Plasmid, maybe she might have seen who intruded into her apartment and taken her child. Bohdana just cried.
“I’m sorry,” she sobbed into her hands. “Vira, I’m so sorry. Please bring my baby back.”
- I -
Stephen rested his forehead against his elbow, staring out through the rain streaking across the window. The driver, Pak, bobbed his head to some rasta-rock, babbling away about god knows what.
“Stephen,” Pak said. “Are you even listening to me?”
“Hm? Wha?”
“Dude, I’m trying to have a conversation. Pay attention.”
“I don’t feel like having a conversation unless it’s urgent.”
“Shit, man, what’s up your ass?”
“Wah!”
Stephen opened the sliding door to the load space of their van. There sat another one of Stephen’s teammates. “Everything good?”
Dania was preparing a bottle for their new passenger. “She’s annoying.” She held the bottle to the toddler strapped into a basket.
“Just keep her quiet.” Stephen slid the door shut again.
“Man, what are you worried about? It’s not like anyone can hear us from in the van.”
“We still got to be careful.”
“Relax, Stephen. This job is way easier than that goddamn ore mine. Once we make a few more runs, we’ll be fuckin’ rich. And I’m gonna’ be up to neck in spelves.”
“You’re gross, Pak,” Dania muttered from the load space.
“You’re just jealous.” Pak swerved the van slightly, narrowly missing another vehicle.
“Watch the road,” Stephen warned. “You want us to get caught?”
“Chill, man. We’re almost there.”
Within minutes, they arrived at the New Ningbo Port. After passing several aisles of warehouses, they stopped in front of one in particular. Stephen pulled out a radio and spoke, “This is Ragnar. Here with a delivery.” They never used their real names while out at work.
The massive doors to the warehouse slid open, admitting the van. The doors slammed shut behind them as Pak parked inside. Stephen hopped out, opening the side door for Dania and their latest catch.
“How did it go?”
Stephen turned to see Lagertha walk up to them. “No problems. Got the package.” He gestured over to the toddler carried by Dania.
“This shit is getting too easy,” Pak laughed.
“Get her ready for transport,” Lagertha ordered.
“Yeah, your welcome, your highness,” Pak scoffed.
Lagertha kneed Pak in the groin. “Watch your mouth, Pak!”
Pak folded over, holding his delicate parts. “Got it.”
A few of the men and women in Lagertha’s team snickered.
Stephen and Dania moved to a container. Opening the steel door, they were greeted by dozens of young, tear-streaked faces. Most of these children were orphans. Or taken from irresponsible parents. Like the Plasmid addict whom they had taken the toddler from. It made the kidnappings easier and drew less attention.
Don’t look at them, Stephen told himself. He turned to Dania. “You know the drill.”
“I do,” said Dania. Unstrapping the toddler, she fastened the little one into a makeshift seat meant for their cargo.
"I want to go home," a five-year old girl cried.
"Please let us go," a seven-year old boy sobbed.
“Lagertha!” One of the men by the door called out. “We got company!”
“What kind of company?” Lagertha called out.
“The Federal kind.”
“Fan också,” Lagertha cursed. “Dania, Stephen! Get that container closed!”
“Well, time to lock you in, girl,” Stephen said.
Dania shrugged. “I’m used to it by now.” Someone had to stay with the children for the upcoming journey.
Stephen shut the container doors shut, nulling out the whimpers and wails of the children within. He gave the all-clear to Lagertha. With a signal from Lagertha, the massive doors to the warehouse opened once more. Three black Armortrucks pulled into the warehouse. Fifteen men clad in armor filed out with automatic rifles held securely to their chests. Lagertha’s people shifted uncomfortably, but she assured them that everything was alright.
From the middle Armortruck, a tall, lanky man stepped out. Long face, flat nose and slightly dark skin. Lagertha could have guessed that he was of Alphan origin. He was dressed in a black suit with the naval cravat tied around his neck. An abbreviation of “IOI” was embellished on his shoulders. Lagertha recognized that mark.
Interstellar Operations and Intelligence.
The Alphan stopped in front of Lagertha. He was tall, as was typical of Alphans that grew up in a low gravity environment. No aggression was offered from his part. No intimidating gestures. Just a neutral, blank stare.
“Well?” he asked.
“Well, what?” Lagertha shot back.
“Have you taken what you need?”
Lagertha nodded.
“Then what do you have for me?”
Lagertha instructed her gangers to resume stand down and carry on with their work before pulling out a Pad, showing the Alphan schematics for a massive, circular turret. “The components are waiting in orbit. With these blueprints, you’ll be able to reverse engineer a new particle beam cannon.”
The Alphan just stared at the Pad.
“There a problem?” Lagertha asked.
“This is not what I asked for.”
Lagertha groaned. “Look, this is all I could bring back. Would you have preferred I came back empty-handed?”
“I thought I made it clear last time we spoke what I wanted.”
“Herregud!” Lagertha cursed. “I got you blueprints for the Loroi’s missiles and blister torpedos. I even brought back a whole stash of blaster rifles and handguns that can punch a hole in a tank.”
“A rifle is not a cannon,” the Alphan informed her. “A rifle cannot stop a cruiser.”
“What do you want from me?”
“The wave-loom device.”
“Look! I’ve tried to get it. The Union militants protect the plans too well.”
The Alphan’s gaze wandered over to the cargo container containing their latest catch. He marched over toward it.
“What are you doing?” Lagertah followed close behind.
The Alphan stood just an arm’s length from the container’s steel doors. “Is this your latest shipment?”
Lagertha confirmed it.
The Alphan said to her privately, “Miss Lagertha. Allow me to remind you of our arrangement. When you came to me, wishing to strike a deal, I agreed to turn a blind eye to your activities. Officially I have no idea what you are shipping off world. But… if I were to suddenly choose to peak inside this container, and if I were to expose whatever illegal contents lie within, I would have no choice but to prosecute you and your entire crew. For you see, I cannot be aware of your cargo’s details. For a Terran official to be aware of criminal activity and refusing to act upon it is in itself a criminal offense.” He took a step toward Lagertha, looming over her. “Now… the terms of our arrangement is as follows: return with schematics or functional components of loroi weaponry. In exchange for your expungement. But I need the wave-loom device. That is the price for your clean slate. As far as I am concerned, you are a former mercenary, forced into a life of smuggling due to difficult circumstances. And you are assisting the TCA to acquire superior weaponry to counter the threat of Loroi invasion. And it requires this cargo in your possession. So…” The Alphan was centimeters from Lagertha’s face. “… get me the wave-loom device. Or there will be no expungement. And the only thing you can look forward to is spending the remainder of your natural life in a dark hole. Is that clear?”
Lagertha refrained from showing aggression. “Yes, Director Esteban.”
Esteban extended his hand. “I’ll be taking those schematics since it’s all you have to offer.”
Lagertha handed over the Pad.
Esteban turned heel and departed for his Armortruck. “Your crew and cargo will be granted clearance to leave Tau Ceti.”
- I -
With their cargo secure and clearance granted by Terran Shipping Control, Lagertha and her raiders made it back to orbit. The freighter bearing them stopped at the edge of the Tau Ceti system, where they transferred to Deliverance. Officially decommissioned, Deliverance was a former Loroi courier corvette that Eternal Endurance’s gangers got their hands on. Repurposed for smuggling and fitted with additional fuel tanks for extended travel, Deliverance’s capacity to accelerate to 35 Gs while shielding her crew with inertial dampeners made it ideal for outrunning most Union vessels if need be. Fortunately Lagertha and her raiders had not been found out for quite a while now. Save for Esteban who was covering their tracks in Terran space. Now Lagertha was relaxing in her cabin while the pilots guided their course back to Union territory.
There came a chime from the bulkhead door. Lagertha granted entry. Stephen entered.
“What doors those Loroi build,” he commented. The bulkhead sealed behind him. “Loroi have a thing for big spaces, huh?”
“How’s the cargo?” Lagertha asked.
“You mean the children we just abducted?”
“Yeah, that one.”
Stephen sighed. “Dania is keeping on an eye on the little ones. Make sure they don’t do anything stupid. Spence is also spending time with them.”
“You sure that’s a good idea?”
“Spence is young, but he’s smart. He knows not to get attached. Besides, he knows how to treat other kids. How to keep them calm. To play with them. He’s good with that stuff.” Although Spence was still just a child, he accompanied the raiders on their treks in-between Union and Terran territories.
“That’s fine then.” Lagertha fished out a bottle of vodka she bought down on Aldea. “Care for a drink?”
“Actually, I could use one.” Stephen sat down across from Lagertha at a small table. Pouring up the shots, Stephen and Lagertha clanged glasses before inhaling the vodka. Stephen coughed out a laugh. “Damn, that shit’s strong.”
“Jävla!” Lagertha commented.
Stephen chuckled. “God, Lagertha. Sure feels good to try some real Terran liquor.” Lagertha poured up another round. Stephen took a tentative sip from his glass this time. “Heh! Hey, you ever try banana beer?”
“Banana beer? You mean beer made to taste like bananas?”
“No, I mean beer fermented from actual bananas.”
“Yuck. Sounds awful.”
“It’s delicious. Do not disrespect banana beer.”
The two sat in silence a moment.
Stephen twirled his shot glass between his fingers. “Lagertha, how much longer are we going to do this?”
“Do what?” She poured herself another shot.
“I mean ‘this’. The abductions. The smuggling. Working for two sides.”
“As long as we have to.” She inhaled her vodka. “Until we have enough wealth to leave it all behind. And until I finally get Ben back.”
“Lagertha, we’re stealing other people’s kids.”
“Stephen,” Lagertha warned. “Don’t get sentimental on me. Not after everything we’ve done. It's nothing personal. It's just business. Besides, there are cartels and mafia that do shit far worse than what we’ve done. The Loroi love human children. They’ll be given good lives… if that makes you feel any better.”
“You sure about that?”
Lagertha leaned forward. “This is not the time to be righteous, Stephen. We’re way past that. I never asked for this life. But here I am. Here we are.” Lagertha sat back in her chair, pouring herself another shot. “Have you ever been to Earth?"
Stephen shook his head. "I was born on one of Tau Ceti's mining colonies. Never even been to Earth."
"I remember Earth when I was just a little girl. I remember the cities. The pine forests. The fjords. The rocky shorelines. The holidays we celebrated. Then my father-” Lagertha snarled out. “My bastard of a father got in trouble with the authorities.”
“You’ve told me,” said Stephen. “For selling weapons.”
“You know, Sweden has always boasted being a neutral, peace-loving country. But it’s the largest exporter of weapons on Earth. Bloody hypocrites. My father was involved in weapons manufacturing and distribution. But he got greedy, selling to some clients that he shouldn’t have. His friends on the colony worlds offered him asylum. As well as a business opportunity. So we left Earth. Escaping prosecution. He brought me to Alpha Centauri, where he worked with the local governor. Then transferred to Tau Ceti, working with Naval Officers and Yinghuo Contractors. My dad taught me everything about weapons. Even gave me combat lessons. I even wanted to join the Terran Scout Corps. But he wanted me to work for his company as a mercenary. Better pay. Better benefits. When we went to war with the bugs, I was sent out with thousands of other hired guns to shred any bugs that came our way. When the war was over, I was still working for my father. He sent me to sabotage his competitors in the unexplored regions. And I would have told him to go fuck himself if I’d known that he was planning to sell me out.”
“Sold us out,” Stephen suggested. “I’ve been with you ever since we met on Aldea, Lagertha.”
"I know." Lagertha rubbed her mouth. “Do you have any idea what that’s like, Stephen? Being betrayed by your own father?”
“It hurts when family turns its back on us.”
“But I still have a family, Stephen. You. Pence. Our raiders. Our team. This is the only real family I’ve got left.”
“Even Pak?” Stephen pointed out. “Who you kicked in the groin?”
“Even family needs to get their asses kicked to keep them in line. Pak’s a stubborn shit stool. But yes. Even him. And Ben. The whole reason why I’ve done all of this is just for the chance to see Ben again. To hold him. When I sent him off with the Delrias, I should have told him I’d be back for him. But I couldn’t. Because I knew there was a chance I wouldn’t make it back. But I did. We did. My own father threw me to the dogs. Abandoned me. I won't abandon Ben. Eternal Endurance is my only hope of getting him back. If I have to abduct a thousand other children just to for the chance to see him again, that’s the price I’m willing to pay.”
Stephen shook his head. “Lagertha. I don’t want to take away your hope. But Eternal Endurance is just using us. She is an exploiter.”
“An exploiter that pays us well in gold. And guns.”
“Yet I don’t feel any richer. Lagertha, I don’t want to live like this for the rest of my life. But I just can’t see any hope for a peaceful life. Endurance owns us.”
“Nobody owns us.”
“But she does, Lagertha. Even if we could somehow walk from this life, she won’t let us go.”
Lagertha eyed Stephen. “Let her think that if that soothes her ego. So long as she keeps paying us. Provides us asylum."
"Asylum that you demanded also from Esteban?" Stephen pointed out. "You're playing a dangerous game, Lagertha, by double dealing."
"Double dealing? Endurance gave us those weapon schematics because she knows it's our only ticket into Terran space. She doesn't care what we do so long as it doesn't hurt her or her operations. War might break out at any moment, Stephen. Endurance shelters us in the Union. Esteban covers our tracks in TCA space. I got to keep our options open."
"But you're putting all of us at risk. If Esteban finds out-"
"We've been at risk since Grind. We're in too deep to have second thoughts. We may not have been dealt a good hand, but it's the only one we've got. At this point it's all or nothing. If you want to walk away, Stephen, that’s fine then. But you do so at your own peril. And I will kill you if you betray us.”
Stephen shrugged. “Fair enough.” He rose from his seat. “I’m going to hit the sack.” Without another word, Stephen left. The bulkhead doors sealing shut behind him.
Lagertha put away her remaining vodka and opened a compartment. Fishing out a datapad, she tapped open old recordings of her time on Grind. She watched the time she spent with Ben. When they played together. When she fed him. Bathed him. These recordings were all she had left of him. She paused one video, freezing Ben’s face on the screen. She gave her little boy a gentle kiss.
“I’m coming for you, Ben,” she vowed. “I swear I’m coming to get you. I’m sorry I lied about going to Earth. But your heart was so set on it. But I promise I’m going to get you back. Then we can be a family again.”
Deliverance
Moderator: Outsider Moderators
Deliverance
Last edited by Snoofman on Tue Jan 09, 2024 7:41 pm, edited 11 times in total.
Re: Deliverance
Crtique:"Viles" should be spelled vials... spelling is something I have had a knack for since... middle school at least.
I enjoyed how the rainy day descriptions brought the story to life for the reader. At first I wondered if the government guy was an alien, but once I heard his name--Esteban, I figured he was just a darker skinned Latino.
So Ben is Swedish huh?
Blond and blue eyed too likely... I guess to Loroi he is as attractive as human males tend to idolize good looking female blondes.
Interesting how you showed how the irresponsible parent felt, but also made the reader feel sympathy for her.
I had no idea it was a drug until I did, that was good, delaying the reveal. I at first thought it was medicine of some kind vital for her health, but there were hints it was not once she felt guilty losing all her money.
Her story is a warning for addicts of any kind really... addiction feels fine until the consequences of negligence hits one square in the face.
As usual.. the quotes of the Merovingian apply well here:
"You see, there is only one constant, one universal, it is the only real truth: causality. Action. Reaction. Cause and effect."
"And soon it does not matter, soon the why and the reason are gone, and all that matters is the feeling itself. This is the nature of the universe. We struggle against it, we fight to deny it, but it is of course pretense, it is a lie. Beneath our poised appearance, the truth is we are completely out of control. Causality. There is no escape from it, we are forever slaves to it. Our only hope, our only peace is to understand it, to understand the why."
I wonder just how well Eternal Endurance would get along with the Merovingian if he were human.
Most likely it would depend solely on how useful he is to her.
Amusingly, I know good and well that Wildfire from Janssen's fanfics may grow tired and less than impressed with the Merovingians gift for gabbing about extemporaneously.
Eternal Endurance though I have a feeling is more than used to hearing people out. You cannot be a leader and not have that quality if you are to succeed at leading.
Wildfire is capable of this as well... selectively anyway, she still has that Loroi pride and does not suffer fools gladly nor those that question her Loroi pride.
I enjoyed how the rainy day descriptions brought the story to life for the reader. At first I wondered if the government guy was an alien, but once I heard his name--Esteban, I figured he was just a darker skinned Latino.
So Ben is Swedish huh?
Blond and blue eyed too likely... I guess to Loroi he is as attractive as human males tend to idolize good looking female blondes.
Interesting how you showed how the irresponsible parent felt, but also made the reader feel sympathy for her.
I had no idea it was a drug until I did, that was good, delaying the reveal. I at first thought it was medicine of some kind vital for her health, but there were hints it was not once she felt guilty losing all her money.
Her story is a warning for addicts of any kind really... addiction feels fine until the consequences of negligence hits one square in the face.
As usual.. the quotes of the Merovingian apply well here:
"You see, there is only one constant, one universal, it is the only real truth: causality. Action. Reaction. Cause and effect."
"And soon it does not matter, soon the why and the reason are gone, and all that matters is the feeling itself. This is the nature of the universe. We struggle against it, we fight to deny it, but it is of course pretense, it is a lie. Beneath our poised appearance, the truth is we are completely out of control. Causality. There is no escape from it, we are forever slaves to it. Our only hope, our only peace is to understand it, to understand the why."
I wonder just how well Eternal Endurance would get along with the Merovingian if he were human.
Most likely it would depend solely on how useful he is to her.
Amusingly, I know good and well that Wildfire from Janssen's fanfics may grow tired and less than impressed with the Merovingians gift for gabbing about extemporaneously.
Eternal Endurance though I have a feeling is more than used to hearing people out. You cannot be a leader and not have that quality if you are to succeed at leading.
Wildfire is capable of this as well... selectively anyway, she still has that Loroi pride and does not suffer fools gladly nor those that question her Loroi pride.
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raistlin34
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 3:46 pm
Re: Deliverance
Maybe I'm wrong, but I believe Eternal Endurance is not merely running an "illegal adoption agency". In fact she may be trying to find out the secrets of human lotai just like the Emperor, but by using kidnapped children as test subjects Mengele style.
Re: Deliverance
You may be right... I have not read all of Snoofman's work nor even the beginning of Wind and Fire.raistlin34 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 07, 2023 12:21 pmMaybe I'm wrong, but I believe Eternal Endurance is not merely running an "illegal adoption agency". In fact she may be trying to find out the secrets of human lotai just like the Emperor, but by using kidnapped children as test subjects Mengele style.
I did read part of the story written before Wind and Fire, which is actually set after the events of Wind and Fire since Wind and Fire is essentially a long prequel.
What little I know about Eternal Endurance is that she is one who believes ends justify the means... you kind of have to be that way to be a villain.
As far as I am aware, it seems she is responsible for terrorist attacks that killed many Loroi.... correct me if I am wrong.
She cares about those that work for her but she is still cruel (shown by letting her thugs beat up one of her Loroi thugs unconscious, afterward kissing the beat up one on the lips and telling her thugs to make sure she was given all the best medical care to restore her broken teeth etc).
Eternal Endurance is dangerous and frankly... a bit disturbing... she later licked the blood off her lips that came from kissing the battered thug on the lips.
I would never do that... but I'm not Eternal Endurance either so I don't know what goes through her head when she does gross stuff like that.
Still... fascinating villain.
Like Stillstorm she is no fan Greywind.... unlike Stillstorm she is a known criminal who resorts to crime to ultimately start a rebellion against Greywind.
It would be interesting to see what Eternal Endurance thought of Stillstorm... no doubt she wishes she were her ally... she would make a powerful ally.
Re: Deliverance
Hey guys, I finally got around to it. Working, reading, keeping up with video games and fighting against ADHD-like symptoms makes it hard to commit to writing. But I'm working on it. Here's the second chapter. Hope you enjoy. 
- I -
Deliverance II
- I -
Ever since Greywind came to power, the fourth emperor’s strict oversight policies, Mizol inspections and checkpoint controls made life harder for the criminal element. But that didn’t make the system impervious. Engineers could hack their way into networks, changing the status of goods to bypass routine inspections. Loroi with Mizol-like abilities could use powers of influence to force other Loroi to overlook details or approve inspections. As long as gangers kept their enterprises small, they attracted no attention. Such skills were coveted by gangers. In other cases, gangers could occasionally appeal to Torrais by offering their services in exchange for glossing over their activities. As honorable as the Torrais boasted to be, even they suffered occasional problems that could not be solved by legal means.
It was those skills and intervention from the shadows that allowed Deliverance and her crew to bypass the CCN’s security checkpoints and enter Taben’s orbit. As it had become routine, a shuttle rendezvoused with Deliverance. Lagertha and a few of her crew transferred their cargo to the shuttle. The rest would remain in orbit until departure.
Lagertha’s crew rendezvoused with gangers waiting for them on the shores of Belerid, as they had predetermined. They were transported to a vast cave hidden deep within the Belerid fjords.
Upon the raiders’ arrival, the gangers surrounded them, eager to get a glimpse of the new human captives they brought. Especially the little males. The Enforcers brutally reminded their subordinates that no one was to touch the children until their Seinen permitted them. Fortunately they had something else to distract the aching Loroi. Ever since Lagertha’s raiders had joined with the Loroi gangers, the men had drawn some lustful attention to themselves. Many of the Loroi gangers had never even been with a Loroi male. While some of the Loroi were revolted by the idea of lying with a human, quite a number of other Loroi were eager to sample these human men. And sample they did.
Adults like Pak would indulge themselves among the ‘space elf beauties’ as he called them. Either with some typical forms of flirting or just outright asking for sex. Sometimes even the Loroi would walk up to the men to request a mating encounter. It amazed the human men just how straightforward these Loroi could be. This, of course, made quite a few of the human women in their group burn with jealousy. A few ‘cat fights’ had even broken out. Lagertha was almost always the first to put an end to these fights, to demonstrate her obedience to Endurance and her gangers.
For the next few days, Lagertha and her crew would prepare their young captives by cleaning, feeding and conditioning them into an obedient state of mind. Any deviants or troublemakers were slapped and placed in solitary confinement. Lagertha took no joy out of torture, but they had to make these children docile quickly.
For the moment Lagertha and a few of her crew were bathing the children in the fjord’s river not far from the camp. The infants and toddlers were cradled and washed by the adults. Taking care of the infants required more work, but they were the most valued. The older captive children, under supervision, could handle themselves better. They were enjoying their time in the fjord’s river, splashing and playing with a few of the raiders’ own children. Being allowed to play and laugh distracted them from the fact that they were captives. Indeed Stephen had insisted to Lagertha that the raider’s children be allowed to mingle and play with the captives to pacify them. And it worked. Lagertha allowed it so long as their own children never got attached to the captives.
“Where the hell is Pak when you need him?” a raider called Jeb grumbled. He was helping to wash a toddler.
“Probably man-whoring again,” another called Bree said.
“Ash!” Dania scolded them. “No cursing in front of the kids.”
“What does it matter?” Bree shrugged. “It’s not like we’re keeping these kids-”
“Bree!” Lagertha warned her with a serious look. “Remember the rules!” They needed these kids to cooperate. Not scare them with the knowledge of what the Loroi were planning to do with them.
“Geez, sorry,” Bree shrugged.
A childish shriek drew the adults’ attention to the shore, where some of the Loroi lurked on dry land. A few of the girls and boys were taunting the gangers. The little ones laughed with joyful terror as the Loroi chased them back into the waters. A few got caught, giggling and kicking as the Loroi encircled them into hugs or hefted them off their feet. Among them was Spence, who was panting with laughter as one Loroi held him close, one hand on his shoulder and the other awfully close to his waist.
“Spence!” Stephen called out. “Get away from there!”
“Why? We’re just playing,” Spence called back.
“Do as I say!”
Spence huffed with frustration as he slipped from the Loroi’s grasp. Stephen gave that same Loroi an evil look before she too huffed off in annoyance.
“Stephen, I think you need to chill,” said Dania. “They’re just having fun.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“Anyway, I don’t appreciate Pak running off to pound some blueberries,” Bree said. “But at least he and the other man-whores are keeping the Loroi’s blue hands off our little boys.”
“I beg to differ,” Stephen countered.
“Stephen, you can’t stop kids from wanting to play. Besides, Endurance’s gangers know better than to cross any lines.”
“As long as Spence is still a boy, I ain’t putting my guard down,” said Stephen. “Every time I see one of them blues setting their eyes on a boy, I know… I know… there is a hunger in there.”
“The Loroi are not after boys per say,” said Dania. “They just want males that match their own.”
“Which is beyond me,” said Jeb. “What kind of freak gets off to the thought of a horny, blue hobbit?”
The raiders laughed.
Except Stephen. “That’s not funny.”
“Just a little funny,” Dania said with a smile.
“Lagerfa!” The raiders looked up to see a bald Loroi approach. It was common for many Loroi to mispronounce Terran names, especially those with ‘th’. “Lagerfa… Seinen… want… see you… now.”
Lagertha sighed, handing the toddler she was washing to Dania. “Keep an eye on the little monkeys.”
Dania nodded, taking the toddler from Lagertha. “Got it.”
- I -
For a Loroi knee-deep in criminal activity, Endurance’s lair certainly had the layout of an organized office. There was a desk with holographic monitors, accompanied by a hovering globe of Taben. Behind those glowing displays sat Endurance’s secretary, Superhot, reviewing their planet-wide affairs. She paid no mind to Lagertha.
At another end of the tent was a vivarium, where Endurance’s focus was glued. For well over a minute, Lagertha just stood and waited to be acknowledged.
“Ahem,” Lagertha coughed. “You wanted to see me, Endurance?”
“Lagertha.” Endurance motioned with a finger. “Come here.”
Lagertha obeyed and stood beside Endurance, her gaze falling on the Vivarium’s contents, where less than a dozen different species of animals populated a micro-forest.
“What do you see?” Endurance asked, her gaze still fixated on the contents of the vivarium.
“Little animals and plants in a contained space,” Lagertha answered simply.
“This is culture.”
Lagertha couldn’t help but scoff. “A culture of critters?”
Endurance’s exposed silver eye peered at Lagertha amidst the bangs of bronze hair. “Yes.”
Lagertha’s grunted nervously. “Is, uh, there a point to this?”
“All life within this cage,” Endurance’s gaze fell back on the vivarium, “follows patterns of instincts as well as learned behaviors. And passes them on. This is what culture is. Now watch.” Endurance delicately plucked up a tiny rodent called a rastinbaro from the cage. Vicing the rodent’s head between her index finger and thumb, Endurance gave a swift twist. Lagertha winced at the barely audible ‘crack’. Drawing out a tiny knife, Endurance gutted open the rodent before placing its tiny corpse back in the vivarium. “Within this culture are two colonies of crawlers. Natural competitors. Look!”
Lagertha crouched down to see what all the commotion was about. Within a matter of seconds, tiny insects began pouring out of a hole on the right side of the vivarium. She could guess that they smelled dead meat as a handful of the critters swarmed out. A few drones approached the rastinbaro’s corpse, but all stopped within inches of it.
“Why don’t the pests take the meat?” Lagertha asked. “Aren’t they hungry?”
“Quite,” Endurance confirmed. “Even for lifeforms with barely any sentience, I see the hunger raging in them. But look to your left. There you will see the second colony. Life can only thrive within this cage so long as the balance of resources is respected. Even animals know this. These two colonies, initially bent on butchering each other, learnt to mark territory. The pests on the right want the meat, but they know that it lies within their enemy’s territory. If they want it, they must cross the invisible boundary and risk war.” She fished out a vial of some fluid and, reaching back into the vivarium, administered a few drops on the rastinbaro’s corpse before moving it closer to the left colony.
The pests of the right side, alerted by a new scent, scurried over to the left. Crawling all over the rodent’s corpse to inspect. A few drones returned to the right colony before multitudes of pests began filing out to lay claim to the drugged meat. Lagertha was in for a shock as the vivarium’s dirt floor seemed to squirm with life as the second colony of pests, with a ferocious vigor that outmatched Earth’s fiercest insects, rose up from the left colony to repel the invaders. The other species populating the vivarium fled to wherever they could, into corners or up the stalks of leaves. Anywhere to escape the carnage.
“This culture,” Endurance sealed the top of the vivarium tight, “kept equilibrium. But by introducing a simple drug, the pests suddenly were willing to cross any boundary… go any distance… kill anything… just to get a taste.”
“That’s, uh…” Lagertha grunted. “… quite a powerful message.”
“We Loroi are not so different. The moment we set our sights on an object of desire, we will cross any distance, shred anything to get it. That is what we provide to our clients, Lagertha. We provide the product that seems unattainable. Which brings me to my next order of business.” Endurance motioned Lagertha to join her at a round table in the center of the room. “I am pleased with your latest stock. My clients here on Taben can’t get enough of these human children. But I must lessen the supply of specimens to this planet soon.”
“What? Why?”
“I have traded specimens only with my most trustworthy associates. So far there are only a few hundred humans hidden away on this Sister World. A few thousand can be well concealed and circulated. But tens of thousands will be difficult to manage.”
That gave Lagertha reason to fret. “You’re not going to terminate our bargain… are you?”
“Certainly not,” Endurance assured her. “Actually… I have considered expanding your enterprise elsewhere.”
Now that was a surprise to Lagertha. “Elsewhere?”
“Yes. Rumors of these human children has reached the Sister Worlds and other colonies. There are rich and influential Loroi on these worlds trying to come into contact with me. Expressing a strong desire to possess at least one of these human children. Or at the very least to sample their… essence. I am most eager to answer these calls. Particularly from Donei, Maia and Deinar.”
Lagertha felt a rush of excitement upon hearing the mention of Deinar.
Endurance noticed Lagertha’s fired up expression. “Why the sudden thrill?”
“W-what?!”
“Are you eager to go to Deinar?”
“Endurance, I-”
“Desperate to see your son?”
Lagertha became silent.
Endurance regarded Lagertha with a dead serious look. “Admit it.”
“Endurance, you promised to reunite me with my son. I have been making runs to Terran space and back for two years now. How long are you going to make me wait?”
Endurance leaned forward. “I did promise. And intend to keep it... when the opportunity presents itself.”
“When will that be?” Lagertha said desperately.
“Patience, my human friend. As I’ve said before, Ben is under the Emperor’s custody. Even if my gangers manage to ply him away from her clutches, Greywind will dispatch however many Mizols and Teidars it takes just to reclaim him. It would lead the Union warriors right back to us. Now… as I have said… I have considered expanding your operations. But first I must ask: are you a liability?”
“Liability?”
“If I send you or any of your raiders to Deinar, will you go against my orders and attempt to take back your son?”
Truly Lagertha wanted nothing more than just that. But she knew Endurance was right. The Emperor was simply too powerful with an army at her disposal. But if Lagertha could at least get a glimpse of her son… someway… somehow… it would put her mind at ease. “Of course not,” Lagertha assured Endurance. “You have my word.”
“No, Lagertha. Words are not enough to convince me. Only action.”
Superhot approached, placing a box on the round table along with a capped ewer.
“What’s this?” Lagertha asked, pointing to the box.
“Open it,” Endurance commanded.
Lagertha did so. And froze as she saw a stained, lumpy globe littered with holes and recessions. It was a skull. Not human. Definitely not Loroi.
“Vad fan?” Lagertha cursed. “What am I looking at?”
“Don’t you recognize him?” Endurance grinned. “It’s Hablos Pekuch.”
“How the hell did you-”
“I’m a ganger chief,” Endurance said. “I can get almost anything. Even the head of a Delrias that died of unexplainable causes within a Union-run prison. You just have to talk with the right people and offer them the right price. And occasionally use a little mind trickery.” She reached into the box, lifting up the alien skull. “This particular Delrias failed me. And thought he could cheat me. Hence why you received only half the gold I promised you on our first dealing. Now, Lagertha, allow me to enlighten you with a brief history of Loroi nomads. In the Reign of Chaos, a Loroi could not be too picky about what she ate.” Superheat popped open the cap on the ewer. “Or drank. Whatever game they hunted, they used everything.” Endurance held out Hablos’ skull before Superhot. “The meat. The organs. The eyes. The tongue. The marrow of the bones. Everything.” Superhot tipped the ewer, pouring its contents into the skull’s great hole. “Even the blood.”
Lagertha stared in shock as Superhot filled up the skull with a recognizable red fluid. “Vad i helvete?”
“We gangers specialize in selling the most exotic goods,” said Endurance. Superhot stopped pouring, lifting the ewer away. “Fermented alien blood, be it beast or sapient, fetches a fine price from the most daring in Loroi society.” Rising from her chair, she approached Lagertha, handing the skull to her. “I remember the stories you shared about your birthplace, Sweden. Your traditions. Your rituals. How your people paid tribute by lifting their cups and verbally saluting… what was that word again?”
Lagertha swallowed. “Skål?”
“Yes, that’s it. The ancient Loroi nomads had traditions akin to that. Some initiates in raider tribes would be offered a skull filled to the brim with fermented blood. To prove their strength in the face of upcoming battles. And, when cutlery is scarce, a skull does make for a fine cup.”
Lagertha realized what Endurance was demanding. “You’re joking?!”
“I promise to reunite you with your son, Lagertha. To shelter your raiders and your own children from harm. But it will be on my terms. I will expand your enterprise. You will deliver more specimens and be generously rewarded for it. But when you do travel to Deinar, you will make no attempt to contact or get close to your son. There is only one way you will convince me you are trustworthy. Now drink.”
Lagertha stared down into the great hole of the skull. Her stomach tightened at the mere thought of gagging on some Delrias blood. But she needed Endurance. Needed her resources and her trust. “First I need something from you, Endurance.”
“And what is that?”
“If you can’t get me my son, if I can’t go near him, then I need something… anything… to see how he is. Just to know that he’s alright. A recording. A picture. Anything. Surely your gangers can get that. Do me that favor, and I'll get you all the human specimens you want.”
Endurance was silently contemplative a moment. “That is acceptable. Now drink!"
With several nervous inhalations, Lagertha lifted the foramen magnum to her lips and drank. The taste was acidic. Sour. Strong. Her face winced as needles of disgust and shame stabbed at her brain. Lagertha had tasted plenty of hard liquors, but nothing burnt her tongue like this fowl fluid. Still she forced herself to take in the alien blood in slow gulps. She lifted the skull higher, trying to drink faster, fighting the urge to gag. Unable to swallow more than she drank, streaks of red overflowed past her lips. The Loroi just stood by and watched.
When she could bear it no longer, Lagertha lowered the skull, gasping for air. Blood stained down the sides of her chin and neck. She wordlessly handed the skull back to Endurance, hoping that would be the end of it.
Endurance took the skull, swashing around the puddle left in its bottom. “You didn’t drink it all,” she said disappointed. Lagertha dared not voice protest, but couldn’t handle another drop. Her worry left her as Endurance simply drank the last dribbles, giving the skull a few smacks to get the last drops of red onto her tongue. “A shame to waste.”
“Satisfied?” Lagertha croaked out.
Endurance grinned. “Quite.” She placed the skull back in the box. Superhot took it away. “There is much to discuss regarding the expansion of your operation."
"There is one more thing. Something I need to be able to carry on my work."
"And what is that?”
"The schematics you provided gave my crew the ticket we needed to sneak through Terran space unsuspected. But my contact in Terran space, the one arranging our entry, needs something else now."
"Which is?"
Lagertha took a deep breath. "The plans for the wave-loom device."
Endurance stared long and hard at Lagertha. "That is a tall order, Lagertha."
"I'm not the one demanding it. That's the price he demands. The TCA is tightening security. If I don't deliver, sneaking in and out of Terran space is going to be harder. More costly."
Endurance was silent a moment as she weighed Lagertha's predicament. "I can make no promises. What I can promise is to give you whatever you need to continue your work. Provided the merchandise you bring me outweighs the cost of my investment."
"It will be," Lagertha assured her.
"And remember this." Endurance gently stroked Lagertha's cheek. "I don't care what bargains you make in Terran territory. So long as it gets me what I want. But if it jeopardizes my operations, you will pay a hefty price for it. And if you will not pay, your raiders will." She leaned closer to the human's ear. "In blood."
Lagertha fought the urge to swallow. "I understand completely, Seinen."
Endurance stopped as she noticed a presence several kilometers away approaching. “I have other matters to attend to. You may retire, Lagertha.”
Lagertha stood, but hesitated to leave. “Can I-” Grunt. “Can I please have something to wipe my face?”
“Why?”
“Well… don’t you think this,” Lagertha pointed to the blood on her chin, “might disturb the others?”
Endurance grinned, surprising Lagertha with a kiss to her bloody lips. “Let it. It shows them you have my favor.”
Lagertha left the tent.
>Seinen, our scouts have reported a rider approaching the caves,< Superhot informed.
>I already know,< sent Endurance, cleaning the blood off her lips. >It’s one of ours. Tell our scouts to let her in.<
Endurance left her tent, heading for the mouth of the cave. With farsight, she watched as the lone presence sped closer toward their position. Within a few hundred solons, a hover bike flew into the caves, parking alongside the gangers’ vehicles. Guards tensed, hands ready on their blasters, but relaxed upon recognizing the rider’s presence. Dismounting the bike, the rider faced the approaching Endurance.
>Hey, boss,< the rider sent.
>Welcome back,< Endurance sent, looking up at her giant of a subordinate. >Please tell me you have good news.<
>Governor Oceantide has agreed to meet with you.<
Endurance could not have been more pleased. >Excellent. I knew I could count on you.<
>If it’s alright, boss, I’m going to take a bath.< The rider made to leave.
Endurance stopped her. >Aren’t you forgetting something?<
>Chief?<
>The helmet. Take it off.<
The rider hesitated.
Endurance slid her right hand delicately up the rider’s torso. >Remember what I taught you. No shame. No fear.<
The rider clicked open her chin strap and slid off her helmet. Black braids tumbled down, failing to conceal a patch of scarred tissue dominating the right hemisphere of her skull along with a shredded ear.
Reaching up with her left hand, Endurance caressed the scarred tissue. >That’s better. Never be ashamed of who you are. Yours is a mark of beauty, Luckstar.<
Luckstar stood proudly for her Seinen. >Yes, boss.<
- I -
The Loroi and occasional humans did indeed give Lagertha some odd or timid looks as she passed them by. When a few of her raiders asked her what happened, Lagertha just passed them by. All she wanted was to get to her dwelling as quickly as possible.
After wiping the blood off her face, Lagertha kneeled over outside her dwelling and hurled red. The sour taste of Delrias blood did not make her sick in as much as the thought of consuming it did. When the impulse to hurl subsided, she stuck two fingers down her throat to force out whatever trace of that horrible drink was left. After a half hour of forcing herself to vomit, Lagertha crawled into her tent and collapsed on her mattress. For hours she just lay there, losing track of time. The warm, soft bed should have brought Lagertha some comfort, but it could not distract her from the revolting ritual she had been forced to partake in. In the loneliness of her tent, Lagertha felt the urge to weep. And try as she might, she could not keep the terrible feelings bottled up. So, silently, she let it out. How else could she deal with the trauma? The guilt? The burden?
All these feelings, these voices of conscience, threatened to surface. To remind her to be human and do what was right. But her raider mind… her business mind… reasoned against it. Lagertha did feel something akin to pity for the hundreds of captives she and her raiders had brought to Union space. Pity and shame. But each time those emotions came up, Lagertha recited the same narrative:
"I’m doing this for Ben. There are worse humans than I."
When the reasons she used to justify the means no longer sufficed, she conjured up new motives. New justifications to keep going. But it was not enough to distract her from the pain in her stomach.
Getting up from her cot, Lagertha left her tent and wandered over to another close by. She tapped on the electronic bell to the tent’s entrance. Lagertha could hear some rustling inside. A minute later, Stephen swung open the flap door to his tent. “Lagertha? What’s wrong?” he asked.
Lagertha grunted uncomfortably. “Sorry to wake you, Stephen. But I… I didn’t want to be alone.”
Stephen said nothing more as he held the entry way for Lagertha. In a corner of Stephen’s tent Spence snoozed in his cot. Careful not to wake him, Lagertha lay down on Stephen’s cot before the big man lay down beside her. This had become something of a random ritual between them. Lagertha did not have the heart or time for a relationship, but she needed someone beside her.
Stephen settled into his bed, content to just go back to sleep.
“Will you do it with me?” Lagertha asked spontaneously.
Stephen looked at her shocked. “Lagertha, my son is here.”
“He’s asleep, isn’t he? You don’t have to if you don’t want to. But I… I just need to feel something. Anything else but what I’m feeling right now.”
Stephen gently touched her shoulder. “What did she do to you?”
“Nothing to worry about, Stephen.”
“Lagertha, don't avoid the s-”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Lagertha quietly affirmed. “Stephen, please. Just do it with me.”
The dark-skinned man sighed. Spence could sleep through anything, but it still made Stephen uncomfortable to do it with Lagertha while his little boy was close by. They could always find another spot, but Stephen never left his son alone when they were surrounded by Loroi. He threw a blanket over their lower halves.
Hearing no objection, Lagertha reached down under the covers to unzip her fly, squirming her hips free from her pants’ waistband. Stephen’s hand glided down her arm to gently caress her waist. With his other hand, Stephen fidgeted under the covers as he moved closer to Lagertha. Lagertha inhaled sharply as she felt Stephen’s comfort penetrate her, but willed herself not to moan audibly. Stephen's gentle gyrations and delicate kisses to her neck were a pleasant distraction indeed.
- I -
Deliverance II
- I -
Ever since Greywind came to power, the fourth emperor’s strict oversight policies, Mizol inspections and checkpoint controls made life harder for the criminal element. But that didn’t make the system impervious. Engineers could hack their way into networks, changing the status of goods to bypass routine inspections. Loroi with Mizol-like abilities could use powers of influence to force other Loroi to overlook details or approve inspections. As long as gangers kept their enterprises small, they attracted no attention. Such skills were coveted by gangers. In other cases, gangers could occasionally appeal to Torrais by offering their services in exchange for glossing over their activities. As honorable as the Torrais boasted to be, even they suffered occasional problems that could not be solved by legal means.
It was those skills and intervention from the shadows that allowed Deliverance and her crew to bypass the CCN’s security checkpoints and enter Taben’s orbit. As it had become routine, a shuttle rendezvoused with Deliverance. Lagertha and a few of her crew transferred their cargo to the shuttle. The rest would remain in orbit until departure.
Lagertha’s crew rendezvoused with gangers waiting for them on the shores of Belerid, as they had predetermined. They were transported to a vast cave hidden deep within the Belerid fjords.
Upon the raiders’ arrival, the gangers surrounded them, eager to get a glimpse of the new human captives they brought. Especially the little males. The Enforcers brutally reminded their subordinates that no one was to touch the children until their Seinen permitted them. Fortunately they had something else to distract the aching Loroi. Ever since Lagertha’s raiders had joined with the Loroi gangers, the men had drawn some lustful attention to themselves. Many of the Loroi gangers had never even been with a Loroi male. While some of the Loroi were revolted by the idea of lying with a human, quite a number of other Loroi were eager to sample these human men. And sample they did.
Adults like Pak would indulge themselves among the ‘space elf beauties’ as he called them. Either with some typical forms of flirting or just outright asking for sex. Sometimes even the Loroi would walk up to the men to request a mating encounter. It amazed the human men just how straightforward these Loroi could be. This, of course, made quite a few of the human women in their group burn with jealousy. A few ‘cat fights’ had even broken out. Lagertha was almost always the first to put an end to these fights, to demonstrate her obedience to Endurance and her gangers.
For the next few days, Lagertha and her crew would prepare their young captives by cleaning, feeding and conditioning them into an obedient state of mind. Any deviants or troublemakers were slapped and placed in solitary confinement. Lagertha took no joy out of torture, but they had to make these children docile quickly.
For the moment Lagertha and a few of her crew were bathing the children in the fjord’s river not far from the camp. The infants and toddlers were cradled and washed by the adults. Taking care of the infants required more work, but they were the most valued. The older captive children, under supervision, could handle themselves better. They were enjoying their time in the fjord’s river, splashing and playing with a few of the raiders’ own children. Being allowed to play and laugh distracted them from the fact that they were captives. Indeed Stephen had insisted to Lagertha that the raider’s children be allowed to mingle and play with the captives to pacify them. And it worked. Lagertha allowed it so long as their own children never got attached to the captives.
“Where the hell is Pak when you need him?” a raider called Jeb grumbled. He was helping to wash a toddler.
“Probably man-whoring again,” another called Bree said.
“Ash!” Dania scolded them. “No cursing in front of the kids.”
“What does it matter?” Bree shrugged. “It’s not like we’re keeping these kids-”
“Bree!” Lagertha warned her with a serious look. “Remember the rules!” They needed these kids to cooperate. Not scare them with the knowledge of what the Loroi were planning to do with them.
“Geez, sorry,” Bree shrugged.
A childish shriek drew the adults’ attention to the shore, where some of the Loroi lurked on dry land. A few of the girls and boys were taunting the gangers. The little ones laughed with joyful terror as the Loroi chased them back into the waters. A few got caught, giggling and kicking as the Loroi encircled them into hugs or hefted them off their feet. Among them was Spence, who was panting with laughter as one Loroi held him close, one hand on his shoulder and the other awfully close to his waist.
“Spence!” Stephen called out. “Get away from there!”
“Why? We’re just playing,” Spence called back.
“Do as I say!”
Spence huffed with frustration as he slipped from the Loroi’s grasp. Stephen gave that same Loroi an evil look before she too huffed off in annoyance.
“Stephen, I think you need to chill,” said Dania. “They’re just having fun.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“Anyway, I don’t appreciate Pak running off to pound some blueberries,” Bree said. “But at least he and the other man-whores are keeping the Loroi’s blue hands off our little boys.”
“I beg to differ,” Stephen countered.
“Stephen, you can’t stop kids from wanting to play. Besides, Endurance’s gangers know better than to cross any lines.”
“As long as Spence is still a boy, I ain’t putting my guard down,” said Stephen. “Every time I see one of them blues setting their eyes on a boy, I know… I know… there is a hunger in there.”
“The Loroi are not after boys per say,” said Dania. “They just want males that match their own.”
“Which is beyond me,” said Jeb. “What kind of freak gets off to the thought of a horny, blue hobbit?”
The raiders laughed.
Except Stephen. “That’s not funny.”
“Just a little funny,” Dania said with a smile.
“Lagerfa!” The raiders looked up to see a bald Loroi approach. It was common for many Loroi to mispronounce Terran names, especially those with ‘th’. “Lagerfa… Seinen… want… see you… now.”
Lagertha sighed, handing the toddler she was washing to Dania. “Keep an eye on the little monkeys.”
Dania nodded, taking the toddler from Lagertha. “Got it.”
- I -
For a Loroi knee-deep in criminal activity, Endurance’s lair certainly had the layout of an organized office. There was a desk with holographic monitors, accompanied by a hovering globe of Taben. Behind those glowing displays sat Endurance’s secretary, Superhot, reviewing their planet-wide affairs. She paid no mind to Lagertha.
At another end of the tent was a vivarium, where Endurance’s focus was glued. For well over a minute, Lagertha just stood and waited to be acknowledged.
“Ahem,” Lagertha coughed. “You wanted to see me, Endurance?”
“Lagertha.” Endurance motioned with a finger. “Come here.”
Lagertha obeyed and stood beside Endurance, her gaze falling on the Vivarium’s contents, where less than a dozen different species of animals populated a micro-forest.
“What do you see?” Endurance asked, her gaze still fixated on the contents of the vivarium.
“Little animals and plants in a contained space,” Lagertha answered simply.
“This is culture.”
Lagertha couldn’t help but scoff. “A culture of critters?”
Endurance’s exposed silver eye peered at Lagertha amidst the bangs of bronze hair. “Yes.”
Lagertha’s grunted nervously. “Is, uh, there a point to this?”
“All life within this cage,” Endurance’s gaze fell back on the vivarium, “follows patterns of instincts as well as learned behaviors. And passes them on. This is what culture is. Now watch.” Endurance delicately plucked up a tiny rodent called a rastinbaro from the cage. Vicing the rodent’s head between her index finger and thumb, Endurance gave a swift twist. Lagertha winced at the barely audible ‘crack’. Drawing out a tiny knife, Endurance gutted open the rodent before placing its tiny corpse back in the vivarium. “Within this culture are two colonies of crawlers. Natural competitors. Look!”
Lagertha crouched down to see what all the commotion was about. Within a matter of seconds, tiny insects began pouring out of a hole on the right side of the vivarium. She could guess that they smelled dead meat as a handful of the critters swarmed out. A few drones approached the rastinbaro’s corpse, but all stopped within inches of it.
“Why don’t the pests take the meat?” Lagertha asked. “Aren’t they hungry?”
“Quite,” Endurance confirmed. “Even for lifeforms with barely any sentience, I see the hunger raging in them. But look to your left. There you will see the second colony. Life can only thrive within this cage so long as the balance of resources is respected. Even animals know this. These two colonies, initially bent on butchering each other, learnt to mark territory. The pests on the right want the meat, but they know that it lies within their enemy’s territory. If they want it, they must cross the invisible boundary and risk war.” She fished out a vial of some fluid and, reaching back into the vivarium, administered a few drops on the rastinbaro’s corpse before moving it closer to the left colony.
The pests of the right side, alerted by a new scent, scurried over to the left. Crawling all over the rodent’s corpse to inspect. A few drones returned to the right colony before multitudes of pests began filing out to lay claim to the drugged meat. Lagertha was in for a shock as the vivarium’s dirt floor seemed to squirm with life as the second colony of pests, with a ferocious vigor that outmatched Earth’s fiercest insects, rose up from the left colony to repel the invaders. The other species populating the vivarium fled to wherever they could, into corners or up the stalks of leaves. Anywhere to escape the carnage.
“This culture,” Endurance sealed the top of the vivarium tight, “kept equilibrium. But by introducing a simple drug, the pests suddenly were willing to cross any boundary… go any distance… kill anything… just to get a taste.”
“That’s, uh…” Lagertha grunted. “… quite a powerful message.”
“We Loroi are not so different. The moment we set our sights on an object of desire, we will cross any distance, shred anything to get it. That is what we provide to our clients, Lagertha. We provide the product that seems unattainable. Which brings me to my next order of business.” Endurance motioned Lagertha to join her at a round table in the center of the room. “I am pleased with your latest stock. My clients here on Taben can’t get enough of these human children. But I must lessen the supply of specimens to this planet soon.”
“What? Why?”
“I have traded specimens only with my most trustworthy associates. So far there are only a few hundred humans hidden away on this Sister World. A few thousand can be well concealed and circulated. But tens of thousands will be difficult to manage.”
That gave Lagertha reason to fret. “You’re not going to terminate our bargain… are you?”
“Certainly not,” Endurance assured her. “Actually… I have considered expanding your enterprise elsewhere.”
Now that was a surprise to Lagertha. “Elsewhere?”
“Yes. Rumors of these human children has reached the Sister Worlds and other colonies. There are rich and influential Loroi on these worlds trying to come into contact with me. Expressing a strong desire to possess at least one of these human children. Or at the very least to sample their… essence. I am most eager to answer these calls. Particularly from Donei, Maia and Deinar.”
Lagertha felt a rush of excitement upon hearing the mention of Deinar.
Endurance noticed Lagertha’s fired up expression. “Why the sudden thrill?”
“W-what?!”
“Are you eager to go to Deinar?”
“Endurance, I-”
“Desperate to see your son?”
Lagertha became silent.
Endurance regarded Lagertha with a dead serious look. “Admit it.”
“Endurance, you promised to reunite me with my son. I have been making runs to Terran space and back for two years now. How long are you going to make me wait?”
Endurance leaned forward. “I did promise. And intend to keep it... when the opportunity presents itself.”
“When will that be?” Lagertha said desperately.
“Patience, my human friend. As I’ve said before, Ben is under the Emperor’s custody. Even if my gangers manage to ply him away from her clutches, Greywind will dispatch however many Mizols and Teidars it takes just to reclaim him. It would lead the Union warriors right back to us. Now… as I have said… I have considered expanding your operations. But first I must ask: are you a liability?”
“Liability?”
“If I send you or any of your raiders to Deinar, will you go against my orders and attempt to take back your son?”
Truly Lagertha wanted nothing more than just that. But she knew Endurance was right. The Emperor was simply too powerful with an army at her disposal. But if Lagertha could at least get a glimpse of her son… someway… somehow… it would put her mind at ease. “Of course not,” Lagertha assured Endurance. “You have my word.”
“No, Lagertha. Words are not enough to convince me. Only action.”
Superhot approached, placing a box on the round table along with a capped ewer.
“What’s this?” Lagertha asked, pointing to the box.
“Open it,” Endurance commanded.
Lagertha did so. And froze as she saw a stained, lumpy globe littered with holes and recessions. It was a skull. Not human. Definitely not Loroi.
“Vad fan?” Lagertha cursed. “What am I looking at?”
“Don’t you recognize him?” Endurance grinned. “It’s Hablos Pekuch.”
“How the hell did you-”
“I’m a ganger chief,” Endurance said. “I can get almost anything. Even the head of a Delrias that died of unexplainable causes within a Union-run prison. You just have to talk with the right people and offer them the right price. And occasionally use a little mind trickery.” She reached into the box, lifting up the alien skull. “This particular Delrias failed me. And thought he could cheat me. Hence why you received only half the gold I promised you on our first dealing. Now, Lagertha, allow me to enlighten you with a brief history of Loroi nomads. In the Reign of Chaos, a Loroi could not be too picky about what she ate.” Superheat popped open the cap on the ewer. “Or drank. Whatever game they hunted, they used everything.” Endurance held out Hablos’ skull before Superhot. “The meat. The organs. The eyes. The tongue. The marrow of the bones. Everything.” Superhot tipped the ewer, pouring its contents into the skull’s great hole. “Even the blood.”
Lagertha stared in shock as Superhot filled up the skull with a recognizable red fluid. “Vad i helvete?”
“We gangers specialize in selling the most exotic goods,” said Endurance. Superhot stopped pouring, lifting the ewer away. “Fermented alien blood, be it beast or sapient, fetches a fine price from the most daring in Loroi society.” Rising from her chair, she approached Lagertha, handing the skull to her. “I remember the stories you shared about your birthplace, Sweden. Your traditions. Your rituals. How your people paid tribute by lifting their cups and verbally saluting… what was that word again?”
Lagertha swallowed. “Skål?”
“Yes, that’s it. The ancient Loroi nomads had traditions akin to that. Some initiates in raider tribes would be offered a skull filled to the brim with fermented blood. To prove their strength in the face of upcoming battles. And, when cutlery is scarce, a skull does make for a fine cup.”
Lagertha realized what Endurance was demanding. “You’re joking?!”
“I promise to reunite you with your son, Lagertha. To shelter your raiders and your own children from harm. But it will be on my terms. I will expand your enterprise. You will deliver more specimens and be generously rewarded for it. But when you do travel to Deinar, you will make no attempt to contact or get close to your son. There is only one way you will convince me you are trustworthy. Now drink.”
Lagertha stared down into the great hole of the skull. Her stomach tightened at the mere thought of gagging on some Delrias blood. But she needed Endurance. Needed her resources and her trust. “First I need something from you, Endurance.”
“And what is that?”
“If you can’t get me my son, if I can’t go near him, then I need something… anything… to see how he is. Just to know that he’s alright. A recording. A picture. Anything. Surely your gangers can get that. Do me that favor, and I'll get you all the human specimens you want.”
Endurance was silently contemplative a moment. “That is acceptable. Now drink!"
With several nervous inhalations, Lagertha lifted the foramen magnum to her lips and drank. The taste was acidic. Sour. Strong. Her face winced as needles of disgust and shame stabbed at her brain. Lagertha had tasted plenty of hard liquors, but nothing burnt her tongue like this fowl fluid. Still she forced herself to take in the alien blood in slow gulps. She lifted the skull higher, trying to drink faster, fighting the urge to gag. Unable to swallow more than she drank, streaks of red overflowed past her lips. The Loroi just stood by and watched.
When she could bear it no longer, Lagertha lowered the skull, gasping for air. Blood stained down the sides of her chin and neck. She wordlessly handed the skull back to Endurance, hoping that would be the end of it.
Endurance took the skull, swashing around the puddle left in its bottom. “You didn’t drink it all,” she said disappointed. Lagertha dared not voice protest, but couldn’t handle another drop. Her worry left her as Endurance simply drank the last dribbles, giving the skull a few smacks to get the last drops of red onto her tongue. “A shame to waste.”
“Satisfied?” Lagertha croaked out.
Endurance grinned. “Quite.” She placed the skull back in the box. Superhot took it away. “There is much to discuss regarding the expansion of your operation."
"There is one more thing. Something I need to be able to carry on my work."
"And what is that?”
"The schematics you provided gave my crew the ticket we needed to sneak through Terran space unsuspected. But my contact in Terran space, the one arranging our entry, needs something else now."
"Which is?"
Lagertha took a deep breath. "The plans for the wave-loom device."
Endurance stared long and hard at Lagertha. "That is a tall order, Lagertha."
"I'm not the one demanding it. That's the price he demands. The TCA is tightening security. If I don't deliver, sneaking in and out of Terran space is going to be harder. More costly."
Endurance was silent a moment as she weighed Lagertha's predicament. "I can make no promises. What I can promise is to give you whatever you need to continue your work. Provided the merchandise you bring me outweighs the cost of my investment."
"It will be," Lagertha assured her.
"And remember this." Endurance gently stroked Lagertha's cheek. "I don't care what bargains you make in Terran territory. So long as it gets me what I want. But if it jeopardizes my operations, you will pay a hefty price for it. And if you will not pay, your raiders will." She leaned closer to the human's ear. "In blood."
Lagertha fought the urge to swallow. "I understand completely, Seinen."
Endurance stopped as she noticed a presence several kilometers away approaching. “I have other matters to attend to. You may retire, Lagertha.”
Lagertha stood, but hesitated to leave. “Can I-” Grunt. “Can I please have something to wipe my face?”
“Why?”
“Well… don’t you think this,” Lagertha pointed to the blood on her chin, “might disturb the others?”
Endurance grinned, surprising Lagertha with a kiss to her bloody lips. “Let it. It shows them you have my favor.”
Lagertha left the tent.
>Seinen, our scouts have reported a rider approaching the caves,< Superhot informed.
>I already know,< sent Endurance, cleaning the blood off her lips. >It’s one of ours. Tell our scouts to let her in.<
Endurance left her tent, heading for the mouth of the cave. With farsight, she watched as the lone presence sped closer toward their position. Within a few hundred solons, a hover bike flew into the caves, parking alongside the gangers’ vehicles. Guards tensed, hands ready on their blasters, but relaxed upon recognizing the rider’s presence. Dismounting the bike, the rider faced the approaching Endurance.
>Hey, boss,< the rider sent.
>Welcome back,< Endurance sent, looking up at her giant of a subordinate. >Please tell me you have good news.<
>Governor Oceantide has agreed to meet with you.<
Endurance could not have been more pleased. >Excellent. I knew I could count on you.<
>If it’s alright, boss, I’m going to take a bath.< The rider made to leave.
Endurance stopped her. >Aren’t you forgetting something?<
>Chief?<
>The helmet. Take it off.<
The rider hesitated.
Endurance slid her right hand delicately up the rider’s torso. >Remember what I taught you. No shame. No fear.<
The rider clicked open her chin strap and slid off her helmet. Black braids tumbled down, failing to conceal a patch of scarred tissue dominating the right hemisphere of her skull along with a shredded ear.
Reaching up with her left hand, Endurance caressed the scarred tissue. >That’s better. Never be ashamed of who you are. Yours is a mark of beauty, Luckstar.<
Luckstar stood proudly for her Seinen. >Yes, boss.<
- I -
The Loroi and occasional humans did indeed give Lagertha some odd or timid looks as she passed them by. When a few of her raiders asked her what happened, Lagertha just passed them by. All she wanted was to get to her dwelling as quickly as possible.
After wiping the blood off her face, Lagertha kneeled over outside her dwelling and hurled red. The sour taste of Delrias blood did not make her sick in as much as the thought of consuming it did. When the impulse to hurl subsided, she stuck two fingers down her throat to force out whatever trace of that horrible drink was left. After a half hour of forcing herself to vomit, Lagertha crawled into her tent and collapsed on her mattress. For hours she just lay there, losing track of time. The warm, soft bed should have brought Lagertha some comfort, but it could not distract her from the revolting ritual she had been forced to partake in. In the loneliness of her tent, Lagertha felt the urge to weep. And try as she might, she could not keep the terrible feelings bottled up. So, silently, she let it out. How else could she deal with the trauma? The guilt? The burden?
All these feelings, these voices of conscience, threatened to surface. To remind her to be human and do what was right. But her raider mind… her business mind… reasoned against it. Lagertha did feel something akin to pity for the hundreds of captives she and her raiders had brought to Union space. Pity and shame. But each time those emotions came up, Lagertha recited the same narrative:
"I’m doing this for Ben. There are worse humans than I."
When the reasons she used to justify the means no longer sufficed, she conjured up new motives. New justifications to keep going. But it was not enough to distract her from the pain in her stomach.
Getting up from her cot, Lagertha left her tent and wandered over to another close by. She tapped on the electronic bell to the tent’s entrance. Lagertha could hear some rustling inside. A minute later, Stephen swung open the flap door to his tent. “Lagertha? What’s wrong?” he asked.
Lagertha grunted uncomfortably. “Sorry to wake you, Stephen. But I… I didn’t want to be alone.”
Stephen said nothing more as he held the entry way for Lagertha. In a corner of Stephen’s tent Spence snoozed in his cot. Careful not to wake him, Lagertha lay down on Stephen’s cot before the big man lay down beside her. This had become something of a random ritual between them. Lagertha did not have the heart or time for a relationship, but she needed someone beside her.
Stephen settled into his bed, content to just go back to sleep.
“Will you do it with me?” Lagertha asked spontaneously.
Stephen looked at her shocked. “Lagertha, my son is here.”
“He’s asleep, isn’t he? You don’t have to if you don’t want to. But I… I just need to feel something. Anything else but what I’m feeling right now.”
Stephen gently touched her shoulder. “What did she do to you?”
“Nothing to worry about, Stephen.”
“Lagertha, don't avoid the s-”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Lagertha quietly affirmed. “Stephen, please. Just do it with me.”
The dark-skinned man sighed. Spence could sleep through anything, but it still made Stephen uncomfortable to do it with Lagertha while his little boy was close by. They could always find another spot, but Stephen never left his son alone when they were surrounded by Loroi. He threw a blanket over their lower halves.
Hearing no objection, Lagertha reached down under the covers to unzip her fly, squirming her hips free from her pants’ waistband. Stephen’s hand glided down her arm to gently caress her waist. With his other hand, Stephen fidgeted under the covers as he moved closer to Lagertha. Lagertha inhaled sharply as she felt Stephen’s comfort penetrate her, but willed herself not to moan audibly. Stephen's gentle gyrations and delicate kisses to her neck were a pleasant distraction indeed.
Last edited by Snoofman on Sun Apr 21, 2024 3:01 am, edited 6 times in total.
Re: Deliverance
Interesting.
It seems as if Endurance and Greywind have almost the same objective... main difference is the added criminal element for Endurance as well as her political aims. Another gross Endurance chapter... interesting and well explained why she is the way she is.
I know the Loroi never forgot the age of chaos, how could they? Overpopulation, starvation, and cannibalism was the order of the day.
There is a saying that the more extensive and complex a law code is, the less moral the society that is under it is.. since if they were so moral they would not have as extensive or complex laws as they would police themselves more without needing explicit laws.
The sex scene was... nicely done. You know how to write it without it being NSFW. Amazing.
I did not know Stephen was dark skinned, what is he latino? Black?
Also I see what you did there lol... Endurance riffing off the Merovingian with own version of a cause and effect speech.
In her case it was more to illustrate and educate about things in a very tactile way... whereas the Merovingian was more showing off his superior knowledge of what was actually going on behind the scenes than he was educating.
So I wilI give Endurance a +1 over the Merovingian's vanity for that lol.
It seems as if Endurance and Greywind have almost the same objective... main difference is the added criminal element for Endurance as well as her political aims. Another gross Endurance chapter... interesting and well explained why she is the way she is.
I know the Loroi never forgot the age of chaos, how could they? Overpopulation, starvation, and cannibalism was the order of the day.
There is a saying that the more extensive and complex a law code is, the less moral the society that is under it is.. since if they were so moral they would not have as extensive or complex laws as they would police themselves more without needing explicit laws.
The sex scene was... nicely done. You know how to write it without it being NSFW. Amazing.
I did not know Stephen was dark skinned, what is he latino? Black?
Also I see what you did there lol... Endurance riffing off the Merovingian with own version of a cause and effect speech.
In her case it was more to illustrate and educate about things in a very tactile way... whereas the Merovingian was more showing off his superior knowledge of what was actually going on behind the scenes than he was educating.
So I wilI give Endurance a +1 over the Merovingian's vanity for that lol.
Re: Deliverance
Also you mentioned human females of Lagertha's crew get jealous of Loroi getting their men. So catfights ensue.
Never forget that Loroi have a well known superpower human women do not. Loroi females are as strong as human males for their weight class.
What that means is pound for pound they can lift more, pull more, and hit harder than a human woman could naturally.
Any fights between the females of the species would be worse for the human if it were a fair fight without weapons. And without at least some martial arts training to use the added man strength Loroi have against them I honestly don't think human women would fare well.
More likely get their butts kicked. I will grant you that civillian Loroi are not like the tough-as-nails-went-through-girl-scouts-survivor-competition warriors, but they are just as strong... just minus training.
Never forget that Loroi have a well known superpower human women do not. Loroi females are as strong as human males for their weight class.
What that means is pound for pound they can lift more, pull more, and hit harder than a human woman could naturally.
Any fights between the females of the species would be worse for the human if it were a fair fight without weapons. And without at least some martial arts training to use the added man strength Loroi have against them I honestly don't think human women would fare well.
More likely get their butts kicked. I will grant you that civillian Loroi are not like the tough-as-nails-went-through-girl-scouts-survivor-competition warriors, but they are just as strong... just minus training.
Re: Deliverance
@Bamax
I won't say too much so as not to spoil anything, but I will say, "interesting observations, Bamax."
I do envision Stephen as a black man, but I hesitate to cement some characters' ethnicities and leave it to the imagination of the reader.
A few catfights have happened, yes. Hence why Lagertha must intervene to keep her own women in check. Though one also must keep in mind that Lagertha's women are Terran Raiders, some originally hired guns. So while the Loroi might have an advantage over them, Lagertha's women are no pussies. You got to be a killer when you're living a life of crime. Both literally and metaphorically in point of fact.
Also Endurance's gangers come from all sorts of backgrounds: civilians, ex-military dropouts and just a few born into ganger life. Some might be pushovers used for labor. Some might be real badasses. Some outright dangerous, held back only by their ganger Chiefs.
I won't say too much so as not to spoil anything, but I will say, "interesting observations, Bamax."
I do envision Stephen as a black man, but I hesitate to cement some characters' ethnicities and leave it to the imagination of the reader.
A few catfights have happened, yes. Hence why Lagertha must intervene to keep her own women in check. Though one also must keep in mind that Lagertha's women are Terran Raiders, some originally hired guns. So while the Loroi might have an advantage over them, Lagertha's women are no pussies. You got to be a killer when you're living a life of crime. Both literally and metaphorically in point of fact.
Also Endurance's gangers come from all sorts of backgrounds: civilians, ex-military dropouts and just a few born into ganger life. Some might be pushovers used for labor. Some might be real badasses. Some outright dangerous, held back only by their ganger Chiefs.
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Quickdraw101
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Re: Deliverance
Another great chapter, and an interesting look into Endurance's motivations and goals for what she does, as well as a glimpse into her rather insane mind. And while I certainly feel some sympathy for Lagertha trying to get her son back, I don't feel pity or sorry for her. She chose that life and has kidnapped hundreds, if not thousands of children, who are being sold to rich Loroi who want child sex slaves. I mostly feel bad for those poor kids who will wind up orphaned when their parents get what's coming to them. And I agree with Bamax, that sex scene was rather well done.
Re: Deliverance
The reading was very interesting, wouldn't the presence of human slaves become known to everyone around, including law enforcement agencies, through telepathy? By the way, no one knows if Arioch said how the Loroi generally perceive sexual contact with terrans in the complete absence of telepathic contact?
Re: Deliverance
I don't think Arioch has mentioned yet how Loroi would react to sexual contact with a human. But judging by the flirtive glances from Loroi guarding Enzin, combined with Talon's eagerness to see him naked, I think it's a safe bet that some Loroi would be turned on by the idea. The Loroi, according to Outsider lore, treat sex differently than humans and pursue it primarily for reproduction. But that does not dismiss the possibility that they get pleasure out of it. Bow chicka honk honk!gigachad wrote: ↑Sat Apr 01, 2023 6:34 pmThe reading was very interesting, wouldn't the presence of human slaves become known to everyone around, including law enforcement agencies, through telepathy? By the way, no one knows if Arioch said how the Loroi generally perceive sexual contact with terrans in the complete absence of telepathic contact?
I try to stay true to Outsider lore. Yes in Loroi society it is hard for Loroi to keep secrets. But I'm trying to present a scenario that, while it is hard for most Loroi to keep secrets, there are a few that can. Even Arioch has said in the forums that Loroi can keep secrets whilst sending. For example, a Loroi can divulge a bit of truth meant to satisfy the inquirer while she protects the rest of the truth that would otherwise compromise her. I'm sure that Mizols and high-ranking politicians have this capacity in the Loroi societies. The stretch I'm creating in this fanfic universe here (and mind you even I don't know if Arioch would back it up) is that farseers like Endurance can conceal the presence of Loroi near her, hence why it has been hard for the Union authorities to track her and her gangers down.
Re: Deliverance
The reaction of the Terran government would obviously be epic to the slave trade and the children, probably Endurance is aware of this, or is she specifically trying to aggravate the relationship between humans and Loroi?
Re: Deliverance
Deliverance III
- I -
Torrai Rizeladi Oceantide aimed her crossbow out in the direction of the Belerid sea at a small angle.
Click! Whoosh!
Pulling the trigger, the crossbow launched an arrow attached to a line several hundred paces out to sea. Oceantide walked around a pole impaled in the shore. Setting the crossbow down, she slipped on a pair of gloves and, using the pole as leverage, began to slowly pull the line in. This shore, just a few kilometers from the port capital of Sezabi, was one of her favorite fishing spots. Even with the cold winds blowing against her coat and the turbulent splash of sea foam, she considered this spot a peaceful escape from her burdens in Sezabi. She loved to fish in the traditional Belerid manner. Unlike her ancestors who used primitive bows, she used the newest model of fishing crossbow. Today however she was having rotten luck. For the whole morning she fished and not a single sea creature had taken the bait. Her Tenoin guards kept watch around the perimeter.
“Rizeladi!” A sharpshooter radioed in through Oceantide’s wristcomm. “A civilian seems to be approaching along the shoreline. Should we stop her?”
Oceantide looked to her right side. Several thousand paces away a Loroi clad in a long rain hood approached. Oceantide could not be sure but it seemed as if this civilian was carrying a case and a pole. No doubt fishing gear of her own. Or perhaps an assassin’s concealed weapon.
“Rizeladi, I have the civilian in my scope,” the sharpshooter radioed in. “Your orders?”
Oceantide just stood and watched as the stranger came closer and closer. Her face concealed by her hood and bangs of hair.
The sharpshooter repeated, “Orders?”
The stranger came into Oceantide’s range. Something about her presence was strange. Barely detectable. Maybe it was an assassin.
>Greetings, stranger,< Oceantide sent. >What brings you to this shoreline?<
The stranger sent nothing back and came closer.
>Have you come here to fish?< Oceantide sent, keeping her cool.
The stranger just came closer, the waves rolling by under her feet before receding back into the sea.
Oceantide dropped her fishing line and held up her left fist. Her sharpshooter, hidden well within the cliff rocks high above, no doubt was resting her finger securely on her rifle’s trigger, ready to fire with just one signal from her commanding officer.
The stranger stopped just a few paces away. “Are you going to shoot me, Governor? It would be a pity considering I came all this way just to see you.”
Oceantide strained her eyes and saw the stranger part her bronze hair to reveal one silver eye. “I sent for you five days ago. You promised to meet with me but gave no reply.”
“My subordinate promised you would hear from me when I was ready to meet you,” Endurance corrected. “And now… you hear from me. May I fish with you?”
Careful not to give the wrong signal, Oceantide slowly lowered her fist before touching her wrist comm. “All guards stand down. Just a civilian who wants to fish. Resume your patrols.”
“Copy, Rizeladi,” the sharpshooter obeyed.
Oceantide picked her fishing line back up, slowly pulling it in from the foaming waters. >So the rumors are true then. You really are a master of the lotai.<
>Even were I not a farseer, it runs in the family.< Endurance stabbed her own pole just a few paces from the Governor’s spot, fetching out a fishing bow from her own case. >I hope you are not discouraged that I did not contact you sooner. But arranging a meeting place in advance invites risk. Especially in these times.< She loaded an arrow into her crossbow.
>This is true,< Oceantide concurred. >So then… I will get straight to the point. I have heard many great and terrible things about you.<
>Have you?<
>You are good at what you do. Eluding capture. Concealing your movements. Most importantly, you are outspokenly opposed to Greywind.<
>With a vengeance.<
>Good,< Oceantide sent. >I too oppose the Emperor’s policies. Though am forced to keep these views private.< She groaned as she drew in her empty line. >Shred! Where are all the fish today?<
>Maybe they prefer calmer waters.< Endurance kept tugging her line.
Oceantide scoffed as she rolled in her crossbow’s tether into the crossbow’s roller. >You may pretend to be a fisher, but don’t pretend to know how fish behave. Taben fish are drawn to turbulent waters. More oxygen. More food.< She reloaded the arrow.
>Maybe the Amenal Guilds’ boats have bled the oceans dry this season.<
Oceantide paused as Endurance’s words sank in. >You seem well informed of Taben’s events.< Taking aim, she shot her arrow back out to sea.
>This farseer knows more than you care to realize,< Endurance shot back.
Oceantide regarded her with a sharp glare. >How so?<
>I see Taben’s troubles,< Endurance pointed out. >Right now I can see clusters of Loroi in Sezabi. Some moving with purpose. Warrior and civilian alike. But others I see have remained unmoving. As stagnant as a puddle. I can guess who these people are: addicts… homeless… unemployed… untouchables who have given up because the Union has neglected them. Forgotten them. This is our empire we serve?<
>You tell me as if this is news,< Oceantide pointed out. >Get to the point if there is one.<
>The point, my dear Governor, is that these are your people. They are suffering at the hands of Greywind.<
Oceantide dropped her line, glaring daggers into Endurance. >Indeed. Beleri is a land that mothers a tough-as-rock people.<
Endurance regarded her calmly as she drew in an empty line. >So, Governor, what do you want? < She rolled her tether back into her crossbow’s roller.
Oceantide picked her line back up and explained her plight, >Taben has always been an essential column of the empire. Without us there would be no Tenoin caste. No pilots able to withstand the immense gravitational pressure of space combat. A single Tendon has more competency aboard a cruiser than eight Soroins. Yet we Tabenids always been treated as the inferiors in the Loroi alliance. Ever since the Great War’s end, our Emperor's policies have failed Taben. Under Greywind's influence, the Diadem have given more trade rights to the aliens.< She drew in an empty line again. >Meanwhile, the Deinar Guilds, driven by desperation to escape bankruptcy, are invading Taben. Driving our own companies out of business. And the Emperor allows it. We Tabenids have fought for ages to keep the Guilds out and for good reason. Ever since Greywind’s massive campaign to nationalize industries across the Union, Taben’s shipping industry has been near completely absorbed by the Deinar monopolies.< Reloading the arrow, Oceantide shot back out into the sea. >Now they’re seizing Taben’s fishing industry. The guild ships of Amenal are draining the oceans. Private fishers from Beleri and the Lone Islands can’t even make ends meet because there aren’t enough fish to sell on the market.< Setting crossbow aside, she began to pull the line back in. >And the Imperial Welfare Centers, which are supposed to be our buffer, have been useless. Unemployed civilians sit idly, waiting, hoping for work. Sustained by meager rations provided by the state and an overdose of noilir. Many of them would rather waste away in the streets than die of boredom in the Welfare Centers. This has given the civilians here cause for unrest. Without the civilians' contributions, Taben’s economy will hurt. If we lose our work force, we will have no choice but to concede to the Deinar Guilds. We will lose more bargaining power. I have done what I can for my fellow Belerids, but must comply with Imperial regulations. A necessary compromise to appease Greywind in order to keep some of our autonomy. And to keep the Mizols out of Taben politics.<
>The Emperor is an advocate for central authority in the Empire,< sent Endurance, launching her arrow back out to sea. >Judging by the flow of current events, and how quickly Taben has been imperialized in our Emperor’s short reign, do you really think she will allow Taben to keep its independence?<
>Your point is made. So then, you are interested in aiding our cause?<
>Very.<
>The only problem is you are a wanted fugitive and terrorist.<
Endurance shrugged. >To some… who cannot appreciate what I am trying to do for billions of Loroi who have no voice. No position to bargain. And no hope. The same Loroi that even you, Governor, have neglected.<
Oceantide’s eyes narrowed. >Careful! Your insults do not win my favor, ganger. As I understand, you have committed serious offenses against the Union and are wanted for organized theft, abduction, accumulation of illegal goods, laundering and murder. Not to mention the minor attacks you instigated on military property or the damages inflicted on public property due to the clashes of rivaling ganger clans. Tell me, why should I pardon a terrorist and cooperate with a malefactor? In fact, why shouldn’t I just end you now?<
>Three reasons. Firstly, assuming your sniper shoots me in time before I unleash a scream that will melt your brain, I have instructed my gangers, in the event I do not return alive, to hunt you and everyone you love down and gut each and every one of you like a fish. So let’s be civilized at least for a while, shall we?< Pulling her line back in, Endurance reloaded. >Secondly, if you decide to work with me in good faith, then I promise not only to support you. I will absolutely not leak the fact to the central authority that you helped harbor fugitives into the Dinnan Sector.<
>What fugitives?!< Oceantide demanded.
Endurance took aim out to sea. >Former Torrais opposed to Greywind’s rule. Those fugitives.< She launched the tethered arrow back out. >Oh and I promise not to point out that secret Unsheathed battalion you’ve been breeding on Gaivet. The one exclusively loyal to its Taben roots.<
Oceantide’s face went pale.
Endurance grinned as she lay her crossbow on the sand and pulled in the line. >You hid them well, Governor. But not well enough. Not from this farseer.<
Oceantide swallowed as she kept composure. >And the third reason?<
>Because I will help you get what you want.<
>Oh?<
>I will help you overthrow Greywind so that you and your comrades can elect a new Emperor. One that will honor the tradition of recognizing Taben as an integral member of the Loroi Union while respecting its right to full autonomy and independent self-rule. That is what you called me here for. Is it not?<
Oceantide regarded Endurance with a mix of suspicion and intrigue. >I suppose you want something in return.<
>Of course I do. I am a tycoon, after all.<
>What do you want then?<
>My gangers can sneak into many places unsuspected and undetected. But it takes time, planning and concealment. Which hinders my operations. I want clearances to bypass security checkpoints, travel permits and I’ll need a few ships.<
>I suppose you also want funding.<
Endurance rolled the possibility around in her head. >Well, I usually don’t say no to more money. But I have plenty of my own. So I don’t see any reason to put unnecessary strain on our partnership. Besides the Mizols keep a strict watch on where talents are trafficked. You can keep your money. But we will need fuel for the ships you provide.<
>Surprisingly considerate of you,< Oceantide sent with a hint of sarcasm.
>But I’m not done yet, Governor. In the event we are in need of specific armaments, you will provide. And, once Greywind is dethroned, I want complete immunity from prosecution. For myself and my gangers.<
>Is that all?<
>For now.<
Oceantide was silent a moment as she weighed the potential benefits and risks. >Well then, I welcome you, Eternal Endurance, to our rebellion. Of course it will be a while before my comrades are prepared to accept someone like you into our folds.<
>I trust that you can ease their prejudices.< Endurance met resistance as her line was tugged into the waters. >Oh, I caught one.< She began pulling the line in. >So then, what’s your plan? How will we overthrow Greywind?<
Oceantide stared enviously at Endurance, wondering how a novice like her could outperform her in fishing. >Simply put, my comrades and I are building a small army of resistance fighters that will be prepared to contend with Greywind’s loyalists. We can keep their presence concealed. But before we can strike, we need a distraction. A way to draw away suspicions from ourselves while we marshal our forces. We plan to mobilize on Maia. That’s where you come into play.<
>Oh?< Endurance pulled out a long fish from the waters. >Shred! It’s a big one!< Drawing out a knife, she impaled the fish in the gills. It stopped squirming. She removed the arrow’s hook from the fish’s mouth.
>You are an influential ganger, a chief with connections in the ganger clans’ secret criminal network. We need you to rally together as many ganger chiefs as you can. Including your clients who hold offices of authority. Any rival clans that might seek to undermine you or us, you are free to deal with. In addition, we may need your gangers to cause some minor havoc. Particularly in the core ward regions of the Dinnan Sector. To keep Greywind’s and her Mizols’ focus on you.<
>I hear the coreward frontiers of Dinnan have been suffering as of late,< Endurance commented, hanging her fish on her pole's hook. >A perfect place to start a few riots. Anything else?<
>There is more,< sent Oceantide. >But all will be revealed in due time. Disclosing the details would more likely jeopardize our goal. Just bring your ganger chiefs together. Convince them to support our cause. Then we will set our plans in motion.<
>I think we are going to be good partners.<
>One more thing. There are rumors circulating that you have been involved in sapient trafficking. Specifically, abducting human specimens from Terran space.<
>Yes,< Endurance didn't deny it. >So?<
>There have also been reports of Arcades temporarily opening shop to lure in well paying civilians across Beleri. According to rumors, these Arcades host encounters of… the human kind. Of course, these Arcades close and move on, circulating their assets to random locations before our police have a chance to seize them. You have become something of an icon for civilians, Eternal Endurance. Tell me, could these Arcades be used to lure in more followers?<
Endurance regarded the Governor cautiously. >Perhaps.<
Oceantide looked out over the ocean. >Interesting. Be sure to cover your tracks well, Eternal Endurance. And I will provide you with all you need.< She launched her arrow again, hoping to get a catch.
- I -
Torrai Rizeladi Oceantide aimed her crossbow out in the direction of the Belerid sea at a small angle.
Click! Whoosh!
Pulling the trigger, the crossbow launched an arrow attached to a line several hundred paces out to sea. Oceantide walked around a pole impaled in the shore. Setting the crossbow down, she slipped on a pair of gloves and, using the pole as leverage, began to slowly pull the line in. This shore, just a few kilometers from the port capital of Sezabi, was one of her favorite fishing spots. Even with the cold winds blowing against her coat and the turbulent splash of sea foam, she considered this spot a peaceful escape from her burdens in Sezabi. She loved to fish in the traditional Belerid manner. Unlike her ancestors who used primitive bows, she used the newest model of fishing crossbow. Today however she was having rotten luck. For the whole morning she fished and not a single sea creature had taken the bait. Her Tenoin guards kept watch around the perimeter.
“Rizeladi!” A sharpshooter radioed in through Oceantide’s wristcomm. “A civilian seems to be approaching along the shoreline. Should we stop her?”
Oceantide looked to her right side. Several thousand paces away a Loroi clad in a long rain hood approached. Oceantide could not be sure but it seemed as if this civilian was carrying a case and a pole. No doubt fishing gear of her own. Or perhaps an assassin’s concealed weapon.
“Rizeladi, I have the civilian in my scope,” the sharpshooter radioed in. “Your orders?”
Oceantide just stood and watched as the stranger came closer and closer. Her face concealed by her hood and bangs of hair.
The sharpshooter repeated, “Orders?”
The stranger came into Oceantide’s range. Something about her presence was strange. Barely detectable. Maybe it was an assassin.
>Greetings, stranger,< Oceantide sent. >What brings you to this shoreline?<
The stranger sent nothing back and came closer.
>Have you come here to fish?< Oceantide sent, keeping her cool.
The stranger just came closer, the waves rolling by under her feet before receding back into the sea.
Oceantide dropped her fishing line and held up her left fist. Her sharpshooter, hidden well within the cliff rocks high above, no doubt was resting her finger securely on her rifle’s trigger, ready to fire with just one signal from her commanding officer.
The stranger stopped just a few paces away. “Are you going to shoot me, Governor? It would be a pity considering I came all this way just to see you.”
Oceantide strained her eyes and saw the stranger part her bronze hair to reveal one silver eye. “I sent for you five days ago. You promised to meet with me but gave no reply.”
“My subordinate promised you would hear from me when I was ready to meet you,” Endurance corrected. “And now… you hear from me. May I fish with you?”
Careful not to give the wrong signal, Oceantide slowly lowered her fist before touching her wrist comm. “All guards stand down. Just a civilian who wants to fish. Resume your patrols.”
“Copy, Rizeladi,” the sharpshooter obeyed.
Oceantide picked her fishing line back up, slowly pulling it in from the foaming waters. >So the rumors are true then. You really are a master of the lotai.<
>Even were I not a farseer, it runs in the family.< Endurance stabbed her own pole just a few paces from the Governor’s spot, fetching out a fishing bow from her own case. >I hope you are not discouraged that I did not contact you sooner. But arranging a meeting place in advance invites risk. Especially in these times.< She loaded an arrow into her crossbow.
>This is true,< Oceantide concurred. >So then… I will get straight to the point. I have heard many great and terrible things about you.<
>Have you?<
>You are good at what you do. Eluding capture. Concealing your movements. Most importantly, you are outspokenly opposed to Greywind.<
>With a vengeance.<
>Good,< Oceantide sent. >I too oppose the Emperor’s policies. Though am forced to keep these views private.< She groaned as she drew in her empty line. >Shred! Where are all the fish today?<
>Maybe they prefer calmer waters.< Endurance kept tugging her line.
Oceantide scoffed as she rolled in her crossbow’s tether into the crossbow’s roller. >You may pretend to be a fisher, but don’t pretend to know how fish behave. Taben fish are drawn to turbulent waters. More oxygen. More food.< She reloaded the arrow.
>Maybe the Amenal Guilds’ boats have bled the oceans dry this season.<
Oceantide paused as Endurance’s words sank in. >You seem well informed of Taben’s events.< Taking aim, she shot her arrow back out to sea.
>This farseer knows more than you care to realize,< Endurance shot back.
Oceantide regarded her with a sharp glare. >How so?<
>I see Taben’s troubles,< Endurance pointed out. >Right now I can see clusters of Loroi in Sezabi. Some moving with purpose. Warrior and civilian alike. But others I see have remained unmoving. As stagnant as a puddle. I can guess who these people are: addicts… homeless… unemployed… untouchables who have given up because the Union has neglected them. Forgotten them. This is our empire we serve?<
>You tell me as if this is news,< Oceantide pointed out. >Get to the point if there is one.<
>The point, my dear Governor, is that these are your people. They are suffering at the hands of Greywind.<
Oceantide dropped her line, glaring daggers into Endurance. >Indeed. Beleri is a land that mothers a tough-as-rock people.<
Endurance regarded her calmly as she drew in an empty line. >So, Governor, what do you want? < She rolled her tether back into her crossbow’s roller.
Oceantide picked her line back up and explained her plight, >Taben has always been an essential column of the empire. Without us there would be no Tenoin caste. No pilots able to withstand the immense gravitational pressure of space combat. A single Tendon has more competency aboard a cruiser than eight Soroins. Yet we Tabenids always been treated as the inferiors in the Loroi alliance. Ever since the Great War’s end, our Emperor's policies have failed Taben. Under Greywind's influence, the Diadem have given more trade rights to the aliens.< She drew in an empty line again. >Meanwhile, the Deinar Guilds, driven by desperation to escape bankruptcy, are invading Taben. Driving our own companies out of business. And the Emperor allows it. We Tabenids have fought for ages to keep the Guilds out and for good reason. Ever since Greywind’s massive campaign to nationalize industries across the Union, Taben’s shipping industry has been near completely absorbed by the Deinar monopolies.< Reloading the arrow, Oceantide shot back out into the sea. >Now they’re seizing Taben’s fishing industry. The guild ships of Amenal are draining the oceans. Private fishers from Beleri and the Lone Islands can’t even make ends meet because there aren’t enough fish to sell on the market.< Setting crossbow aside, she began to pull the line back in. >And the Imperial Welfare Centers, which are supposed to be our buffer, have been useless. Unemployed civilians sit idly, waiting, hoping for work. Sustained by meager rations provided by the state and an overdose of noilir. Many of them would rather waste away in the streets than die of boredom in the Welfare Centers. This has given the civilians here cause for unrest. Without the civilians' contributions, Taben’s economy will hurt. If we lose our work force, we will have no choice but to concede to the Deinar Guilds. We will lose more bargaining power. I have done what I can for my fellow Belerids, but must comply with Imperial regulations. A necessary compromise to appease Greywind in order to keep some of our autonomy. And to keep the Mizols out of Taben politics.<
>The Emperor is an advocate for central authority in the Empire,< sent Endurance, launching her arrow back out to sea. >Judging by the flow of current events, and how quickly Taben has been imperialized in our Emperor’s short reign, do you really think she will allow Taben to keep its independence?<
>Your point is made. So then, you are interested in aiding our cause?<
>Very.<
>The only problem is you are a wanted fugitive and terrorist.<
Endurance shrugged. >To some… who cannot appreciate what I am trying to do for billions of Loroi who have no voice. No position to bargain. And no hope. The same Loroi that even you, Governor, have neglected.<
Oceantide’s eyes narrowed. >Careful! Your insults do not win my favor, ganger. As I understand, you have committed serious offenses against the Union and are wanted for organized theft, abduction, accumulation of illegal goods, laundering and murder. Not to mention the minor attacks you instigated on military property or the damages inflicted on public property due to the clashes of rivaling ganger clans. Tell me, why should I pardon a terrorist and cooperate with a malefactor? In fact, why shouldn’t I just end you now?<
>Three reasons. Firstly, assuming your sniper shoots me in time before I unleash a scream that will melt your brain, I have instructed my gangers, in the event I do not return alive, to hunt you and everyone you love down and gut each and every one of you like a fish. So let’s be civilized at least for a while, shall we?< Pulling her line back in, Endurance reloaded. >Secondly, if you decide to work with me in good faith, then I promise not only to support you. I will absolutely not leak the fact to the central authority that you helped harbor fugitives into the Dinnan Sector.<
>What fugitives?!< Oceantide demanded.
Endurance took aim out to sea. >Former Torrais opposed to Greywind’s rule. Those fugitives.< She launched the tethered arrow back out. >Oh and I promise not to point out that secret Unsheathed battalion you’ve been breeding on Gaivet. The one exclusively loyal to its Taben roots.<
Oceantide’s face went pale.
Endurance grinned as she lay her crossbow on the sand and pulled in the line. >You hid them well, Governor. But not well enough. Not from this farseer.<
Oceantide swallowed as she kept composure. >And the third reason?<
>Because I will help you get what you want.<
>Oh?<
>I will help you overthrow Greywind so that you and your comrades can elect a new Emperor. One that will honor the tradition of recognizing Taben as an integral member of the Loroi Union while respecting its right to full autonomy and independent self-rule. That is what you called me here for. Is it not?<
Oceantide regarded Endurance with a mix of suspicion and intrigue. >I suppose you want something in return.<
>Of course I do. I am a tycoon, after all.<
>What do you want then?<
>My gangers can sneak into many places unsuspected and undetected. But it takes time, planning and concealment. Which hinders my operations. I want clearances to bypass security checkpoints, travel permits and I’ll need a few ships.<
>I suppose you also want funding.<
Endurance rolled the possibility around in her head. >Well, I usually don’t say no to more money. But I have plenty of my own. So I don’t see any reason to put unnecessary strain on our partnership. Besides the Mizols keep a strict watch on where talents are trafficked. You can keep your money. But we will need fuel for the ships you provide.<
>Surprisingly considerate of you,< Oceantide sent with a hint of sarcasm.
>But I’m not done yet, Governor. In the event we are in need of specific armaments, you will provide. And, once Greywind is dethroned, I want complete immunity from prosecution. For myself and my gangers.<
>Is that all?<
>For now.<
Oceantide was silent a moment as she weighed the potential benefits and risks. >Well then, I welcome you, Eternal Endurance, to our rebellion. Of course it will be a while before my comrades are prepared to accept someone like you into our folds.<
>I trust that you can ease their prejudices.< Endurance met resistance as her line was tugged into the waters. >Oh, I caught one.< She began pulling the line in. >So then, what’s your plan? How will we overthrow Greywind?<
Oceantide stared enviously at Endurance, wondering how a novice like her could outperform her in fishing. >Simply put, my comrades and I are building a small army of resistance fighters that will be prepared to contend with Greywind’s loyalists. We can keep their presence concealed. But before we can strike, we need a distraction. A way to draw away suspicions from ourselves while we marshal our forces. We plan to mobilize on Maia. That’s where you come into play.<
>Oh?< Endurance pulled out a long fish from the waters. >Shred! It’s a big one!< Drawing out a knife, she impaled the fish in the gills. It stopped squirming. She removed the arrow’s hook from the fish’s mouth.
>You are an influential ganger, a chief with connections in the ganger clans’ secret criminal network. We need you to rally together as many ganger chiefs as you can. Including your clients who hold offices of authority. Any rival clans that might seek to undermine you or us, you are free to deal with. In addition, we may need your gangers to cause some minor havoc. Particularly in the core ward regions of the Dinnan Sector. To keep Greywind’s and her Mizols’ focus on you.<
>I hear the coreward frontiers of Dinnan have been suffering as of late,< Endurance commented, hanging her fish on her pole's hook. >A perfect place to start a few riots. Anything else?<
>There is more,< sent Oceantide. >But all will be revealed in due time. Disclosing the details would more likely jeopardize our goal. Just bring your ganger chiefs together. Convince them to support our cause. Then we will set our plans in motion.<
>I think we are going to be good partners.<
>One more thing. There are rumors circulating that you have been involved in sapient trafficking. Specifically, abducting human specimens from Terran space.<
>Yes,< Endurance didn't deny it. >So?<
>There have also been reports of Arcades temporarily opening shop to lure in well paying civilians across Beleri. According to rumors, these Arcades host encounters of… the human kind. Of course, these Arcades close and move on, circulating their assets to random locations before our police have a chance to seize them. You have become something of an icon for civilians, Eternal Endurance. Tell me, could these Arcades be used to lure in more followers?<
Endurance regarded the Governor cautiously. >Perhaps.<
Oceantide looked out over the ocean. >Interesting. Be sure to cover your tracks well, Eternal Endurance. And I will provide you with all you need.< She launched her arrow again, hoping to get a catch.
Last edited by Snoofman on Thu Feb 08, 2024 9:31 pm, edited 5 times in total.
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wolf329
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Re: Deliverance
Very interesting...
#1 Tempo simp
Fun fact: did you know that "Loroi Union" has the same number of syllables as "California"?
Fun fact: did you know that "Loroi Union" has the same number of syllables as "California"?
Re: Deliverance
Endurance may be a villain buI admire her willingness to put skin in the game. Namely her own.
A less courageous villain would have sent one of their higher ranking goons to speak for them but Endurance went to talk in person knowing she might be killed.
That said she obviously thought the risk was worth it. It seems she will risk everything, even her own life, to dethrone Greywind.
She is sincere in her efforts and has dedication, I will grant her that.
Problem is she is as far as I can tell, amoral. So she will sacrifice anyone elses lives to achieve her aims.
And perhaps that is what separates good and evil. Good guys have lines they choose to not cross, but for the villain?
They make up lines for others to follow but really have no lines upon them they follow other than those they are forced to follow.
A less courageous villain would have sent one of their higher ranking goons to speak for them but Endurance went to talk in person knowing she might be killed.
That said she obviously thought the risk was worth it. It seems she will risk everything, even her own life, to dethrone Greywind.
She is sincere in her efforts and has dedication, I will grant her that.
Problem is she is as far as I can tell, amoral. So she will sacrifice anyone elses lives to achieve her aims.
And perhaps that is what separates good and evil. Good guys have lines they choose to not cross, but for the villain?
They make up lines for others to follow but really have no lines upon them they follow other than those they are forced to follow.
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wolf329
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Re: Deliverance
"My cause is just, therefor anything I do for it is justified."
Explains a lot about her attitude.
Explains a lot about her attitude.
#1 Tempo simp
Fun fact: did you know that "Loroi Union" has the same number of syllables as "California"?
Fun fact: did you know that "Loroi Union" has the same number of syllables as "California"?
Re: Deliverance
Maybe... she could very well not really have much morality other than it being directed towars those that support her.
Villains that don't follow the rules will make up their own.
In a way though Endurance and people like her are not unknown to Greywind.
Even heroes of the Loroi...vor rather the victors who write history wrote it with the blood of their enemies.
In Wind and Fire Greywind recalled as a child her mother would quiz her and reason with her about the Loroi nuclear wars of the past pre-unification of the Loroi.
Grey was appalled, but her mother told her the nukes were necessary since without them the Loroi woukd still be disunited down to this day.
Perhaps that is why Arioch has said the only real difference between a hero and villain is that heroes solve problems and villains cause them.
The methods for either need not be moral... and who is hero or villain has more to do with who yoy sympathize with.
To someone poor and disinfranchised by society and semingly abandoned by their government, Endurance seems as noble as Robin Hood and Greywind like some corrupt politician.
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wolf329
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Re: Deliverance
I suspect Endurance's "just cause" is primarily her own enrichment, and attracts supporters by playing lip service to their woes.
#1 Tempo simp
Fun fact: did you know that "Loroi Union" has the same number of syllables as "California"?
Fun fact: did you know that "Loroi Union" has the same number of syllables as "California"?
Re: Deliverance
Perhaps... the whole situation is a potential tragedy... but business as usual considering Loroi history is even bloodier than ours.
You see, in Wind and Fire toward the final chapters Greywind suggests to those in power below her to be nicer to civillians, but a several of them just want to crush any civillian compliants or revolts in the harshest way... which is what they did during the Umiak war.
Now that it is over, the Loroi must face the problems they no longer can ignore. Since as Greywind noted the civillans may not tolerate an iron fist anymore now that the Loroi are not battling for their very existence.
Endurance likely is ignorant of this... and perhaps even if she knew Greywind intended to be nicer it may change nothing for her plans.
Re: Deliverance
I believe that human mercenaries with their invisibility can really help in undertakings to overthrow the gray wind and her diadem, given the confusion in the Terran space, there will be no end to high-quality soldiers of good luck, although if they are discovered, it will obviously be embarrassing for diplomatic relations, but much worse right?